Awakening the Shadows
by Eternity2
Summary: A/U Two galaxies are in danger and six young women have come to Earth seeking the aide of the Senshi. Find out who the mysterious Sailor Eclipse is and what ties she holds to the Senshi's past. Please R/R
1. Of Visions and Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. As if you didn't already know =) All original characters are mine though, if you want to use them(it could happen...maybe...okay maybe not)...just ask.  
  
Author's Notes: Please be patient with me. My time is very limited, but I will post chapters as quickly as possible. Unless, that is, no one reads it, and then I guess there won't be any reason to rush::grins:: Just for the record, Eclipse-Khamiya, Talis-Mayoko, Lythos-Keridwen, Phameris-Luriel, Andronica-Aria, Caleria-Nara.  
  
Chapter 1: Of Visions and Dreams/Tangeria,Caleria/Dronian Galaxy  
  
" Andronica...Reality...Distortion!!! "  
The youma's enormous eyes glazed over as a raging inferno erupted all around her. She shrieked and jumped around trying to avoid the leaping flames, but there seemed to be no escape. She threw her furry arms around her head and cowered on the ground.  
" NOW !! "   
" Lunar....Eclipse...Annihilation!!! " The violet energy shot from her gloved hands and enveloped the demon which they had been fighting. The air filled with smoke and the scent of singed hair as the electricity consumed the flailing creature. " Finally, " Eclipse muttered as she moved to join the others.  
It had been a long battle. Who knew that something as simple as fire would scare the pants off that Dark Kingdom drone? If they had only figured it out sooner, people's lives could have been saved. Her eyes narrowed as she turned to look at Andronica. If only the girl wasn't so reluctant to use her powers! It was sickening. She glanced around at the scattered bodies laying in the middle of Tangeria's main street. And this was the result of her fear.  
" We did it! " Caleria squealed.  
Lythos frowned assessing the scene, " This isn't exactly what I would call a victory. "  
" B...but...we did the best we could. "  
" It wasn't good enough! These people shouldn't have died! "  
Andronica lowered her head. She knew that she was mostly to blame, but it was still hard for her to control her powers. Most of the time everything went fine, but there was a possibility that she would affect the wrong person and cause permanent mental damage. It was a game of chance every time she tried to mess with someone's head.  
Phameris learned over to her best friend, " It's all right, " she whispered, " I understand. "  
Just then a flash of light caught their attention. " Girls! " called a hazy image of an older woman with greying hair and wise green eyes, " Meokan wishes to speak to you. He says it is of the utmost importance. "  
" Thank you, Brieah. Tell him that we will be there as soon as we can, " Phameris told her.  
" I will. You girls be careful on the trip home. " With that she vanished from sight.  
Andronica, Caleria, Lythos, Talis, and Eclipse rolled their eyes. They had just finished fighting one of the strongest youma they had ever encountered and Brieah was worried about their trip home.  
" Let's blow this joint, " Talis grinned, " I think there's a ship leaving for Phameris in about fifteen minutes."  
  
" It's Jaize! " Aria and Nara whispered excitedly.  
Luriel wrinkled her nose at her two love struck friends, then glanced at her cousin. Jaize was good looking she supposed, but did those two always have to act like airheads when he walked into the room? She shook her head and pushed open the door to the inner sanctum where Meokan awaited them.  
" Greetings, Luriel. Are the others here as well? "  
" Yes, Father, " she replied with an exasperated sigh, " they are speaking with Jaize in the grande hall. "  
Meokan laughed and folded his hands before him, " Should I, perhaps, move the meeting there? It may be much more expedient than waiting for the others to come here. "  
" Unnecessary, " Khamiya assured as she stepped into the room with Keridwen and Mayoko, " We were merely being polite. "  
" Though you may have a bit of trouble tearing Aria and Nara away, " Mayoko grinned.  
" It's shameful the way they behave, " Keridwen grumbled as she slipped into one of the room's tall chairs. And Aria almost screwed us during the fight today. You have got to talk to her about using her powers. "  
Luriel was about to speak in defense of her friend, but Meokan intervened, " She is young yet and not fully in control of her powers. She fears the consequences if something goes awry, which is not an unfounded concern. Be patient with her. "  
" Patient? " the black haired young woman retorted, " People are dying! Besides how is she ever going to learn to control her powers if she never uses them? "  
Meokan arched a brow, " Perhaps it would be wise to watch your tone, child. "  
Keridwen ducked her head to hide the blush that colored her cheeks, " I ask forgiveness, M' Lord. "  
" Granted, " he turned to Mayoko, " Please be so kind as to fetch the others. "  
" I'll give it my best shot. "  
Ten minutes later Mayoko returned with the two younger girls in tow.   
He smiled at me, " Nara giggled.  
" No he didn't! He smiled at me, " Aria argued.  
Meokan took a deep breath pressing the fingertips of one hand to his forehead. At times like these he questioned why the fates had chosen teenagers to wield the awesome power and responsibility that these girls held. But then, he reasoned, the fates must know what they're doing. " Take your seats, girls. I have something very important to tell you. "  
They knew from the tone of his voice that they had better listen, so the two girls quickly took seats on the far wall. Meokan was a very kind and generous man, and he had put up with a lot from each one of them. But they knew better than to push him too far. After the first time the Phamerian High Priest lost his temper, no one wanted it to happen again.  
silence in the room weighed heavily on it's occupants. It wasn't long before those six young women realized how grave the situation really was, for every one of them could sense the impending news without a spoken word. Meokan looked to each of them in turn, then cleared his throat, " I have called you here today because I have had a particularly disturbing vision, and we have a very limited amount of time before it manifests itself. "  
Mayoko tossed one long, slender leg casually over the arm of her chair" Hey, you know we're always ready for anything. Bring it on. " A couple of the others nodded enthusiastically in agreement.  
The older man shook his head sadly, " I appreciate your willingness, but I fear it shall not be that simple this time. " Meokan stood from his seat kneading his hands nervously. Not one of the young women had ever seen the High Priest emit such uncertainty, and they looked to each other with a growing sense of dread.  
" Father, what's going on? Please, the suspense is treacherous. Tell us quickly how we might stop the events you have foreseen."  
" The youma that you have fought these last few months have been more than worthy adversaries, have they not? "  
There were nods and words of confirmation all around. They knew that they were good, but they weren't too cocky admit that the battles of late had been more difficult than usual. " This is only the beginning. The creatures we have seen are only the weakest of the Dark Kingdom's current army. They will only increase in strength and number. "  
" What are we supposed to do? " Keridwen exclaimed.  
" I foresee only one possibility. "  
" And that is? " asked Khamiya, staring at the man with an odd mixture of emotion in her violet eyes, " What is it that we must do, oh Wise One? "  
A few of the others turned to see Meokan's reaction to Khamiya's sarcastically tainted question, but he did nothing. An almost pained expression crossed his face as he sighed deeply and began to explain, " Light years away is a galaxy known as the Milky Way. They are, as well. under constant attack by the Dark Kingdom. I believe that if you travel to the planet known as Earth and find its protectors we can obtain assistance from them. Together you may have a chance of saving both galaxies from otherwise certain destruction. "  
" You're joking, right? "  
" No, Keridwen. I'm afraid that I'm not. "  
" But, Father, who will protect this galaxy while we are gone? "  
" Our armies can hold them off for a short time, but, " he paused taking his seat once more and lowering his eyes to the table, " I have reason to believe that they will discontinue their attacks when you leave the galaxy. "  
" What? " Mayoko, Keridwen and Luriel exclaimed simultaneously.  
" What makes you think that, Meokan? " Nara questioned with a puzzled look. " Wouldn't that be the perfect opportunity for them "  
" I can't explain, " he said slowly, " but that is what I believe. "  
" When do you expect us to leave? "  
The priest turned his gaze to Khamiya, studying the expression on her face. " Immediately."  
" Let's get this over with then, " Keridwen sighed standing and heading towards the door.  
" Don't we even have time to pack? "  
" I'm afraid not, Aria. You must leave now. "  
She frowned, but didn't argue. The remaining five girls stood and moved to follow Keridwen.  
" Khamiya? "  
The violet haired young woman turned to her guardian's brother, but she spoke not a word.  
" Could I speak with you a moment? "  
She gave a slight shrug and watched the others leave before returning to her chair.  
" You know that I have always cared for you as one of my own, and my concern for you now is greater than it has ever been. I fear for you, child. And if there were any other way..."  
She held up a hand to silence him. " Stop. Stop right there. "  
" Can you handle this mission, Khamiya? "  
The look in her eyes was impossible to distinguish, the violet orbs seemed to almost gleam with something between hatred and fear, " Do I have a choice? " she challenged, rising once more. It was a gesture of finality, she would discuss nothing further.  
With a furrowed brow he watched her walk out the door. Meokan asked himself for the hundredth time since the previous night if he was doing the right thing, but the conclusion remained the same. There was no other option if their galaxy was to survive. 


	2. Their Journey Begins

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. As if you didn't already know =) All original characters are mine though, if you want to use them(it could happen...maybe...okay maybe not)...just ask.  
  
Chapter 2: Their Journey Begins/Launch Pad/Caleria  
  
" I hate these things, " Keridwen complained as she opened the door to her suspension chamber . Although the Calerian scientists had perfected intergalactic travel centuries ago, there was still a need to lock each individual into a seperate glass pod that would protect them during the warp speed journey. They would all sleep peacefully for the extent of the one week trip, sustained by intravenous nourishment.  
" How can you complain? " asked Mayoko as she double checked the back-up oxygen  
systems. " This will be the first time in months I've gotten more than four hours of sleep at one time. It's almost like a mini-vacation. "  
" Yeah, " Aria chimed in, "but without the pool and the dancing and the buffet style meals and..."  
" You're not helping, " Nara cut her off with a grin as she observed the expression on Keridwen's face, " Oh, cheer up, Keri ! We're going to have a great time on...on uh. Where are we going again? "  
" Earth! " Keridwen snapped, " It's called Earth. It doesn't even sound interesting. And if you ever...ever call me Keri again I'm leaving you there when we're through with the mission. " In an uncharacteristic display of immaturity Keridwen stuck her toungue out at the little redhead.  
Everyone laughed, but it was obvious that even Keridwen was uncertain about the up-coming voyage. None of them had ever traveled outside of their own galaxy, and it was impossible to know what to expect.  
Khamiya locked the last storage compartment then turned to the others. She looked at each of them quietly. Keridwen, though tempermental, was a loyal and courageous companion. Mayoko, a light-hearted young woman, emitted a natural warmth that could put anyone at ease. Fun loving and exuberant Nara was a red-haired bundle of energy and optimism. Sweet natured Aria was kind and compassionate, even if she acted a bit flakey at times. Finally, the youngest of the girls, Luriel. Despite her age, the priestess was wise beyond her years and every bit as mature as the older members of the group.  
Khamiya took a deep breath and looked away. She wondered briefly how they viewed her. She knew that she was given to dramatic mood shifts and long periods of silence and solitude. What did they attribute it to? In dark moments could they see her secrets? Certainly they couldn't. She knew this deep inside, but her greatest fear, the one that haunted her every waking moment, was that they would someday find out. And if they did, if that fateful day ever came to pass, then she would lose everything in her life that mattered.  
Luriel glanced at Khamiya out of the corner of her eye. She sensed a sudden shift in the atmosphere of the room and more often than not it meant that something was going on with Khamiya. That young woman was an enigma to the priestess, and she often wondered why she couldn't read her as she could the others. What made it more puzzling was the fact that they had practically been raised as sisters. It should have ensured a strong bond between them, but that was far from the case. Khamiya distanced herself from Luriel just as much, if not more, than the others.  
Khamiya narrowed her eyes and turned to Luriel who quickly began to busy herself with the IV equipment. Just as she suspected. That little snoop was tyring to read her thoughts again. It wasn't that she hated Luriel, or even disliked her, but the girl had those unusual Phamerian abilities which made her a constant threat. So far it seemed that Khamiya was immune to these psychic invasions, but she didn't know why or if it would last. Best not to take any chnces.  
One hand gripped the edge of a nearby counter as Khamiya felt her anger rising. She closed her eyes trying to steady herself, but the emotion seemed to have a mind of its own. Her body tensed as the rage intensified, and in the darkness behind her eyes she began to see images. They were terrible, haunting visions of blood and betrayal and faces which she remembered only from a far-off dream.  
" Khamiya? "  
Her eyes snapped open to see Mayoko standing before her. " Is everything alright? Are you ready to go? "  
" I.." Khamiya glanced around and saw that the others were already in their suspension chambers. How long had she been standing there? " Everything is fine. Of course I'm ready, " she replied her voice trembling slightly.  
Mayoko looked skeptical. The expression on Khamiya's face told that everything was far from alright, but Mayoko knew better than to question her further. " Well then, let's get going. "  
With a slight nod Khamiya brushed past Mayoko and stepped into the glass pod. She pulled the door shut with a sigh. Taking the needle from its package she quickly set up her IV then curled into the padded bedding. The last thing she needed right now was a week of nightmares. Unfortunately, that would soon be the least of her worries.  
Mayoko called to the remaining technition and informed her that they were ready to leave. She stepped into her own chamber and leaned back closing her eyes. The technition slipped the needle into her arm and taped it into place. 'This will all be over soon. This will all be over soon.' The sound of the lock snapping into place caught her attention. 'But not soon enough,' she thought before falling into a deep sleep.  
Toriama rechecked the safety locks on all six chambers then glanced around the main enclosure of the shuttle. It was impossible to believe that the future of their galaxy rested in the hands of these teenagers. But the Dronian Galactic Council trusted Meokan's word, and the girls had proven themselves several times over the last two years. The woman took a photograph from her labcoat pocket, and as she looked at it a tear slipped down her cheek. " I've done all I can for you. I hope it's enough, " she whispered to the smiling toddler in the picture.  
Pulling herself together the technition carefully returned the photo to her pocket and finished programming the final coordinates into the main computer. She pressed the button to activate the automatic launch sequence and moved to go. As she reached the door, she paused taking another lingering look at the Dronian warriors. They looked so young and vulnerable tucked away in the suspension pods, fast asleep. Once again she questioned this mission, but it was too late now to second guess the decision. " Good luck. May the Gods be with you all. "  
" Aria? Where are you? Where did you go? " Nara ran through the open field searching desperately for her friend, but it was useless. Nara couldn't figure it out. Aria had just been standing there with her, but when Nara asked her where they were, the other girl was gone. Vanished. Just like that.  
Up ahead Luriel was kneeling in the grass and Mayoko was standing over her. " Hey, guys! Have you seen Aria? Did she come this way? "  
Neither girl even bothered to look at her until she pulled up short beside them. Luriel and Mayoko both stared at her blankly without speaking. " Did you hear me? " she shouted and reached out to grab Luriel's shoulder. Nara was caught totally offguard when Mayoko grabbed her arm and tossed her aside. " What the hell are you doing? " Nara squealed as she hit the ground. This was insane! Why were her friends acting this way? She scrambled to her feet and spun around. The other two girls remained silent and still. Nara stopped and studied them closely from when she stood. Their eyes were both empty, lifeless and their faces pale as death.  
Without warning two pairs of hands grabbed her from behind. Nara struggled kicking hard to escape her attackers, but nothing she did seemed to help. Dark laughter echoes in her head as she was dragged away. The sky grew dark as clouds gathered overhead, and an icy wind stung her face and hands. Nara screamed, but the cold air burned her lungs, and the sound was lost in the shrieking gale.  
" You're nothing alone, kid, "scolded a familiar voice.  
" You can't even help yourself, Nara. how can you help anyone else? " taunted a second.  
" Keridwen? Khamiya? Why are you doing this? " Nara cried.  
" You can't make it alone. You're worthless! Worthless..."  
Nara screamed again and woke with a start. She was gasping for breath and her clothing was soaked with sweat. She hit the emergency release on the chamber door and stumbled into the center of the floor sobbing ans shaking, completely oblivious to the pain as the IV tore from her arm. For a few long moments she laid there, trying to calm the terror that the nightmare had brought.   
Finally she rose to her knees. They had already landed, but the others were still sound asleep. She stood slowly and walked to the control panel. She pushed a blue button and flipped a switch. According to the computer they had landed yesterday. It seemed odd that everyone was still slumbering. Shouldn't the pods have opened automatically when they reached their destination?  
Nara shook her head and frowned as she felt something warm running down her arm. Blood. 'Of course! I just ripped a needle out of my arm.' Grabbing the first aid box from under the consel she proceeded to bandage the wound.  
Once that was completed, she returned to the other chambers. She was still shaken by the dream and a chill crept up her spine as she looked at her friends. 'It was jsut a dream. A lousy dream.' She pressed the release on Aria's pod and threw the door open. " Rise and shine, " she chirped though her enthusiasm was forced.  
One slender hand moved to brush a pink curl from her face then swatted half-heartedly at Nara, " Go 'way. "  
In response, Nara poked her in the ribs, " You've been asleep for a week for crying out loud! It's time to wake up. "  
Aria hopped up with a start, " Did you have to do that? I was having the most wonderful dream. "  
" We landed yesterday. The others are still out. "  
" Yesterday? " Aria leaned out glancing around. Sure enough the others were still sound asleep. The girl climbed groggily from the chamber, " I guess we should wake them up."  
" We should but..." Nara grinned mischievously.  
" Oh no! No. No. No. We don't know anything about this place or what we're doing here."  
Nara laughed, " Alright. It was just a suggestion. "  
They released the other four girls from the suspension chambers. Keridwen went immediately to the main computer and began pulling up files. " This doesn't make any sense. The pods should have opened when we landed, " she muttered pouring through the information.  
Mayoko glanced over her shoulder, " Any thoughts? "  
" Not a clue. No. Wait, " she pushed a blue button and clicked on a file, " According to the records, no one programmed the pods to open automatically. "  
" What? " Mayoko exclaimed leaning in to get a closer look.  
Khamiya stood back listening intently to the conversation. She arched a brow upon hearing Keridwen's assessment. They "forgot"? Calerian scientists and technitions were renouned across the galaxy for their skill and precision, they didn't just forget things like that.  
Mayoko frowned looking over the log for the third time, " Do you think it was intentional?"  
" I don't like to jump to conclusions, but if you want my personal opinion, someone didn't intend for us to wake up. If it wasn't for Nara we'd have been in there until, well, until the support systems crashed. "  
Luriel took a small purple pouch from her pocket and held it tightly in her hands. She had a terrible feeling about this mission. Silently she prayed to the gods to keep them safe until they reached home, but the calm that usually enveloped her did not come. With a heavy heart she tucked the charm bag away and went to help the others prepare to disembark. 


	3. Strangers in a Strange Land

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. As if you didn't already know =) All original characters are mine though, if you want to use them just ask.(it could happen...maybe...okay maybe not)  
  
Chapter 3: Strangers in a Strange Land/20 miles outside of Tokyo/Earth  
  
Mayoko stood facing her friends at the main door of the ship, " We have landed at the appropriate coordinates, and the main computer's readings match the information compiled on Caleria. We won't have any problems breathing the atmosphere though it differs slightly from that of our home planets. The temperature is approximately ten degrees above the normal temp on Andronica during the busy season. Don't overdress. You'll be sorry.   
As you can see we've landed in a very scarcely populated area, but according to what we know, the ones we have come to find are located in the nearest major city. A place called Tokyo. "  
Nara twisted a thread between her fingers as she listened to Mayoko. ' I'm the Calerian princess, that should be me. ' The Galactic Council had concluded that Nara, though rightfully the leader in this type of situation, was too young to handle the responsibility. So they quickly briefed Mayoko, the eldest group member, and left her in charge. It was an insult, but Nara kept her mouth shut. They were having enough problems already without her adding to them.  
" That's about it. Any questions? "  
" How are we going to get to this Tokyo? " Aria asked.  
" We'll have to walk. "  
" Walk? Walk. How far away is it? "  
" Approximately twenty miles. "  
" Twen...ty? "  
" Buck up little camper, " Mayoko smiled. " I promise it won't kill you. "  
" I'm willing to make a little wager on that, " Nara grinned.  
" Don't bother, " Aria slid a hand along her trim figure, " It's not that I'm out of shape or anything. I just prefer more stylish forms of travel. "  
" Uh huh. Like suspension chambers? You still have bed head, " Nara burst out in laughter as her friend's jaw dropped. " You know I'm only joking. "  
Aria flashed a smile, " I know. My hair is never less than perfect, " she swept a hand through the thick pink and white mane, " These locks don't know the meaning of bed head. "  
" Enough you two. Can we get off this ship today? "  
" Take it easy, Keridwen, " Mayoko said, " But we should get going. "  
  
' I don't want to be here. I want to go home. I want to see my baby brother again. ' Night had fallen nearly two hours ago and they were just reaching their destination. Aria stared at the blazing lights on the horizon. Even Caleria, the industrial center of their galaxy, could not boast such lights and buildings. You could barely see the stars in the sky.  
Aria longed for the magnificent beaches and lush tropical forests of her home. Andronica was a resort planet, populated year-round by tourists from practically everywhere. Small luxury hotels and mini-homes provided a place to stay for visitors, but they were spaced out to provide maximum privacy and peace. But this, this nightmare of steel, glass, and lights frightened her to no end. Where could all those people hope to find peace in that mess?  
  
" Well, this is it, " announced Mayoko as they strolled along the busy sidewalks.  
" It's...amazing, " Nara gasped as she took in the people and traffic that buzzed noisily around them.  
" That's not quite the word I would use. "  
" But Aria, " argued Nara, " it's so different. You can just feel the life pulsating all around you! There's so many things here we've never seen, people we've never met and..."  
" We get the point, " Keridwen cut her off. She found this new planet interesting but wasn't exactly impressed. It was quite disorganized, and she couldn't imagine how they kept any type of order. With a sigh she followed as Mayoko turned right and headed towards a building that seemed to reach the sky.  
Khamiya turned her eyes to the concrete. People kept looking at them. She wondered if they realized that the six girls were from another galaxy. From what Meokan had told them before they launched, these people weren't even aware that life existed off their little chunk of rock. Rather ignorant of them to think that the gods had created an entire universe just for them. What a waste of space that would have been.   
They made a turn and as they came around the bend they ran into a group of Earth teenagers." Watch where you're going, " yelled a blonde haired girl wearing green coveralls and a white tee shirt.  
Keridwen narrowed her black eyes, " Rude, aren't you? "  
" Wanna make something of it? " the girl snapped back while her dark haired companion snickered.  
" You don't want to do this, " Mayoko cut in stepping between the two girls.  
" And who the hell do you think you are, bitch? "  
Stunned, Mayoko took a step back. No one had ever dared to speak to her in such a manner, but it went against her principles to attack someone that she knew would be defenseless.  
Nara walked up to the other girl, " Would you just get over it? We have things to do. "  
Without warning the blonde stepped forward and shoved Nara to the ground. " I ain't "getting over " shit. Your buddy should have watched where she was going. I'm not moving until I get an apology. "  
Khamiya couldn't take any more and quickly moved to face the Earth girl. She raised a hand and laid it against her shoulder. A short blast of energy surged from Khamiya's hand, it was small enough not to be noticed but strong enough to knock the vulgar little brat to the ground.  
" What the hell? " she stammered, " What did you do to me? " She was about to get back on her feet, but when she glanced up the violet haired girl's eyes were glowing. With a gasp her jaw dropped and she stayed right there on the ground.  
" Let's go, " Khamiya murmured and motioned for the others to follow her.  
When they were out of ear shot Mayoko turned to Khamiya, " I know what you did back there, and I appreciate it. But you can't be doing those things so freely around here. These people won't understand, and that could get us in a lot of trouble. "  
" I refuse to get pushed around by these little nothings. They can't do anything to us. And besides, Mayoko, we're entitled to defend ourselves. I don't care what galaxy we're in. "  
Mayoko sighed as the other girl moved ahead. In a way she had to agree. Those girls had shown them no respect at all, and they may have resorted to violence. Besides, Khamiya didn't actually hurt the Earthling, merely taught her a quick lesson in manners. Mayoko could barely suppress the smile that tried to cross her lips.   
Sometimes she really wished that she could be more aggressive, but it really wasn't in her nature. Keridwen always spoke her mind without a hint of hesitation, and when it came down to it Khamiya did whatever was necessary...sometimes to an almost harsh extent. But Mayoko had always possessed a mild temper and dislike for confrontation. When the Dark Kingdom attacked she could fight just fine, fire an attack here and there, but when there was a battle to be fought either Keridwen or Khamiya took the lead. They jumped in head first without any concern for the consequences while Mayoko sat back and waited to see what would happen.   
Aria leaned over to Luriel, " Do you think that everyone on this planet is like those girls?"  
" I hope not, but it is possible. Meokan couldn't supply any information on what the people of Earth are like. The possibility of these defenders helping us is based only on assumption at this point. "  
" How are we going to know who they are. "  
Luriel paused thoughtfully before she answered, " Mayoko must know. I hadn't thought to ask her previously. "  
" Do you think we should go find out. "  
" No. I have faith that the others will let us know when the time comes. "  
" All right, if you say so. " Aria was becoming increasingly uneasy about the whole situation. If the people they were looking for were anything like those teenagers, there was no way that they were going to get the help they needed to fight the Dark Kingdom.  
And if they didn't then their galaxy was history.  
Mayoko fell into step beside Keridwen and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, " According to this we should make a right turn at that building up ahead, walk about five blocks then make another right. The house is the third on the right. "  
" That looks right to me. Have you given any thought on how we're going to approach them? What if the information we have is incorrect. We can't risk revealing our identities to the wrong people. "  
" We have to take the chance. This is the only thing we have to go on right now, and our time is limited. I don't care for the method much myself, but our options are few. "  
Khamiya stopped dead in her tracks causing the others to halt as well, " There's some kind of commotion up ahead. "  
" Let's go check it out, " Nara exclaimed and took off running 


	4. Introducing the Celestial Senshi

All the girls followed, curious to see what was going on. They ran for two blocks before pulling up short. Five young women, in fukus resembling their own, were involved in a fire fight with a blond haired man in a gray uniform. It was similar to the ones worn by the Dark Kingdom officers.  
" Hm, I don't suppose those girls could be the ones we're looking for? " Keridwen mused.  
" Close enough, " Nara grinned.  
" Shouldn't we transform? "   
The others turned to Luriel, " Oh yeah, " Mayoko laughed, " I got a bit carried away there. "  
" Talis...Star...Power! "  
" Lythos...Star...Power! "  
" Phameris....Star...Power! "  
" Andronica...Star...Power! "  
" Caleria...Star...Power! "  
" Lunar...Crystal...Power! "  
  
Amidst a kaleidoscope of light and color the girls transformed into their warrior counterparts and rushed to the aid of the Earth guardians  
" Caleria....Techno....Explosion!! " Sailor Caleria shouted with a blinding flash of red and orange energy blasts.  
All of the Earth guardians fell still, and even the man they fought stood and stared once he dodged the attack.  
" What the...? "  
" Who? "  
" Where did they come from? "  
Khamiya stared hard at the little group. There was something familiar about them, and an odd sensation washed over her causing a heaviness in her chest that she couldn't explain.   
" Blazing...Soul...Sear! "  
" Lythos...no! " Khamiya screamed, but it was too late. One of the bolts caught the blond man in the leg as he tried to avoid it. He feel to the ground with a shout of pain.  
Sailor Lythos turned to Sailor Eclipse with a puzzled frown.  
" I don't know. I don't know. Just trust me...Talis...clean him up. "  
Sailor Talis quickly glanced at the others who just shrugged in confusion. One after another each girl fell to one knee...  
" For honor..."  
" For peace..."  
" For balance..."  
" By the power of dreams..."  
" As intended by the Fates..."  
The girl with the golden brown hair slowly spun her arms crossed over her chest...." Talis......Spirit.....Illumination......."   
A warm breeze swept over the area towards the injured man. He couldn't get out of the way and threw his arms over his face. As he was engulfed his entire body took on a pale golden glow. The gray Dark Kingdom uniform turned to a blazing white and gleaming on the front of the right side was the symbol of the Earth Kingdom during the Silver Millennium. After a few moments the glow faded and the man remained sitting with a bewildered expression.  
" What did you just do? "asked one of the Earth guardians. She had long blond hair with a big red bow tied in the back.  
Sailor Phameris stood, her eyes were wide. She couldn't figure out how Khamiya had known that the stranger wasn't purely evil. Even she had not picked up on it. With a slight shake of her head she turned to the Earth girl, " We simply rid him of the evil influence that was controlling him. "  
" Who are you? How did you get here? " A tall girl in green and white approached them.  
They looked at one another with a bit of uncertainty, but Talis offered a warm smile and proceeded to explain, " We are the Celestial Scouts from the Dronian Galaxy and we're here to ask for your assistance. We have reason to believe that both of our galaxies are at great risk and only together can we overcome the danger that threatens us. "  
A girl with long black hair stepped forward, " I'm Sailor Mars, that is Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury, and that's Sailor Moon. "  
" A pleasure to meet you all. I'm Sailor Talis, the others are Sailor Lythos, Sailor Andronica, Sailor Caleria, Sailor Phameris, and Sailor Eclipse. "  
" I wondered when you would arrive, " Sailor Mars said quietly.  
Phameris brushed a strand of pale blue hair from her eyes, " You have visions Rei Hino, and you knew we were coming. "  
" How did you know...? " her voice trailed off as she nervously toyed with the hem of her red skirt.   
" Do not worry, " the Phamerian Priestess replied, " you have nothing to fear from us. "  
" How do we know for sure? " asked Sailor Jupiter curiously.  
" You're just going to have to trust me. "  
A short girl with two long blond ponytails stepped forward. It was obvious that she was unsure about the newcomers, but Talis assessed from the information they had that she was the leader of the Guardians. " Sailor Moon, " she said warmly extending a hand.  
While they continued to converse Eclipse watched silently. Mostly she focused on the man whom everyone else seemed to have forgotten. He had finally broken out of his dazed stupor and was slowly climbing to his feet. As he lifted his head his eyes met briefly with hers and narrowed slightly. For one fleeting second his face lit with recognition, but it quickly vanished when he flashed her a flirtatious smile.  
Sailor Eclipse rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the group. 'Who is he?' she pondered. Her sharp gaze hadn't missed that unmistakable flash of remembrance in those blue eyes. Somehow, that man knew her, and she knew him too. But her memory denied her any further detail beyond that simple knowledge.  
" Excuse me, ladies, " he broke in with a charming smile, " would one of you be so kind as to explain what's going on here? "  
" Jedite? I almost forgot about you, " Sailor Moon exclaimed staring at the former Negaverse general. 'He's not bad looking,' she thought with a grin.  
" I'm afraid we're not really certain what to tell you except that you were under the influence of the Dark Kingdom, " explained Sailor Talis, " and we removed the spell you were under. It was Sailor Eclipse's idea. "  
Everyone turned to look at the violet haired young woman who immediately stepped back from their questioning glances. She hated being the center of attention, and she couldn't explain to them why she had known. Eclipse wasn't even sure herself though she had an idea or two. " I don't know! Instinct? Lucky guess? A little birdie told me? "  
It was evident that Eclipse was agitated and Sailor Phameris quickly intervened, " Well, whatever the reason, it was a good call. We should decide where we're going from here." She glanced quickly at Eclipse and was relieved to see her calming slightly. Eclipse's mood swings were less fun than a picnic in the Dark Kingdom, and Phameris would do just about anything to avoid an episode in front of the Earth guardians. They probably wouldn't understand. Sometimes the girl's own friends barely did.  
During this time Sailor Mercury was preoccupied entering data into her handheld computer. She gasped and held it up for the others to see, " Your galaxy is well over one hundred light years from here! How on Earth did you get here? "  
Sailor Caleria smiled and proceeded to explain, " You see, the planet that I'm from is the technological center for the entire galaxy. Our scientists figured out intergalactic travel ages ago, and the technicians build ships capable of the task. With advanced life support and navigational systems combined with intravenous feeding methods we can spend up to a month maximum in a state of hibernation. Of course it only took us a week to get here, so it's really not nearly as far as we could go if we wanted. "  
Sailor Andronica tried unsuccessfully to suppress her laughter.  
" What're you laughing at? " Caleria demanded with her hands on her hips.  
" Nothing like bragging. You sound like a recruiter for the Calerian Science College. "  
" I do not! Well, maybe just a little. Oh, shut up! "   
Everyone laughed.  
" That is amazing though, " said Mercury, " your scientists must be absolutely brilliant. Imagine! Intergalactic travel! "  
" Boring, " muttered Sailor Moon.  
" Hey, " Venus chimed in, " why don't we go get some burgers or something? "  
" Yeah! "  
"Great idea! "  
The Celestial Scouts looked at one another, " I don't think we time for anything like that," Lythos retorted, a bit more harshly than intended, " We have important things to do. Are you going to help us or not? "  
Sailor Venus's face fell at the dark haired girl's reaction, " I...I just thought that..."  
" Could I have a word with you? " Talis snapped grabbing Lythos by the arm. It was one of those rare occasions when Mayoko was losing her temper, " What are you doing? We need their help. You don't have to be so rude to everyone all the time, Keridwen! You don't have anything to prove. "  
Keridwen had no response to Mayoko's little tangent. The older girl had never yelled at her like that, and she didn't know what to make of it. Of course Keridwen knew this was an important mission. That's why she wanted to move things along. What was the sense of playing around when they had so much to do? All of her life she had been taught to do what needed done, do it quickly, and not let anyone get in the way. Government depended on people who were decisive, motivated, and strong, and Keridwen embodied those qualities to a tee. One day she would rule Lythos and sit on the High Court of the Dronian Council. She had to be ready.  
Lythos narrowed her eyes at Talis, " Fine, I'll apologize, but I think we're wasting valuable time. "  
" We have to make the time if we're going to get them to help us. They don't know us, why should they trust us? We have to show them that we're on their side. "  
Sailor Lythos stared at the ground. Perhaps she had been a bit hasty. Talis did have a point about trust, " I guess you're right, " she mumbled and walked slowly back to the group, " I'm sorry for what I said. I'm just...impatient sometimes. "  
Sailor Talis took a deep breath and rejoined the others. She knew that was probably the hardest thing that Lythos had ever done, but the mission demanded every sacrifice that they had to give.   
" So, where does one get a good burger on this planet? " exclaimed Nara in her usual high-strung manner.  
Sailor Moon gave a large grin and grabbed the smaller girl's arm, " I know just the place!"  
" Hey guys, " Sailor Jupiter called, " don't you think we should change first? "  
Phameris smiled recalling her own words earlier. Perhaps the Earth guardians weren't so different after all. Perhaps her fears were unwarranted and things would turn out fine after all.  
" Do you ladies mind if I tag along? " Jedite asked flashing them a bright smile.  
The Sailor Scouts looked at one another for a moment, " I guess so, " Mars replied looking over the young man. ' I think I could really like this guy ' she thought. 


	5. Do You Want Fries With That?

" Hey, guys. "  
" Mamoru! " shouted Usagi as she looked up at the dark haired young man. She grabbed his hand and pulled him down into the booth, " These are our new friends. Mayoko, Nara, Aria, Luriel ah..." she faltered.  
" Keridwen and Khamiya, " Mayoko reminded her.  
" Oh yeah. Sorry! And you know Jedite. "  
Mamoru nodded to each of them until his eyes came to rest on Jedite, " What are you doing here? Is this some kind of joke? "  
" No, " laughed the blonde haired man, " No joke. I've been cured! "  
" Cured? What do you mean cured? " Mamoru rambled almost hysterically.  
" We'll explain later, but believe me we're safe, " Ami assured him.  
Mamoru shook his head and took a long look around the table. This time his gaze stopped on Khamiya. A small crease appeared in his forehead as he tried to figure out where he had seen her. Though he tried to pass it off, he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her.  
Khamiya frowned. She was well aware that Mamoru was watching her, and she didn't like it at all. She turned her head so that the long violet tresses covered the side of her face closest to him. Biting her lip she fought the images that washed over her. They were the same old visions, but this time the faceless people had taken the appearance of the Earth guardians. She saw them fighting, and she saw them dying. One by one they fell beneath the black mass that was bearing down upon them.  
" I need some fresh air! " she gasped leaping up from the table so quickly that she nearly knocked over her milkshake.  
" Would you like one of us to go with you? " Minako offered, " Since you don't know your way around. "  
Khamiya looked horrified as she stared at them, " No! I'll be fine. I just...just... " she didn't even finish her reply before bolting for the door.  
Once she was outside of the cafe, Khamiya took a deep breath. The pictures in her head were so clear, so real, that her stomach turned and her body trembled. Something was happening, and she couldn't stop it. The walls she had spent years building were now crumbling apart.  
" Are you all right? "  
Khamiya's head snapped up and there was Jedite, " Get away from me! " she growled.  
Her animosity didn't seem to phase him, " Your friends seemed worried about you, and quite frankly, so was I. Do you want to talk about it? "  
Her jaw dropped slightly as she stared at him in disbelief, " Didn't you hear me? Go away! Get lost! I don't want your help. "  
" I don't believe you. Something happened in there, and I think you need to work it out. "  
" Look, you idiot, I'm going to tell you this one more time. I neither need nor want your help. There isn't a damn thing you or anyone else can do, so just let it be. "  
" If you insist, " he said softly, " but when you're ready to talk, I'm there for you. " he went back inside the cafe without another word.  
'If he only knew' Khamiya buried her face in her hands. She took a long deep breath to calm herself. From inside the cafe she could hear the noisy commotion as the group prepared to leave. Khamiya ran a hand through her hair to straighten it and smoothed a hand over her skirt. She was utterly humiliated by her actions and hoped that no one would mention it.  
Luriel was the first one to leave and she immediately walked over to Khamiya. " Are you..."  
" Not a word, " the violet haired girl snapped pushing away from the wall and moving a few feet away.  
Luriel sighed and hung her head. It was always like this, Khamiya absolutely refused to discuss her problems with anyone, and Luriel was afraid that it would eventually lead to serious problems. It just didn't make sense. What was Khamiya hiding from them?   
  
Many hours later the group sat whispering quietly outside of the Cherry Hill temple. They spoke of past battles, of books, and the Sailor Senshi recounted their memories of the Silver Millennium. Mayoko cocked her head slightly and furrowed her brow as she listened, " That's odd. We've never heard of this, Silver Millennium is it. "  
" You haven't? " Ami said with a hint of disbelief, " I would imagine that you were Senshi then as well, but perhaps our galaxies discovered each other later in time. If you think about it, Queen Serenity sent us one thousand years into the future. Your scientists may not have discovered our galaxy until after the fall of the Silver Millennium. "  
" That would make sense, " Makoto agreed crossing her arms behind her head and leaning back against the side of the temple.  
" Perhaps, " Luriel mused half to herself, " I wonder if Meokan knows anything about it. "  
Luna, who was dozing lightly by the little campfire they had built, lifted her head from her paws, " Did you say Meokan? "  
" Why yes, " Luriel replied looking at the small black cat, " he's my father, the Phamerian High Priest. He is an oracle and possesses an unusually long life span "  
" The name sounds so familiar, " Luna said thoughtfully, " but I don't know where I would have heard it. "  
" Are you an oracle, too? " Minako asked curiously.  
" Well, " Luriel explained, " I am a seer which is slightly different. The visions I have aren't as strong or frequent as my father's, and I can't foresee the distant future. Also, my mother was a mortal woman, so I won't have the life span that he does. "  
" That's fascinating! " Rei exclaimed, " You'll have to tell me more about your world. I would love to see it someday. "  
Luna flicked her tail back and forth thoughtfully. Some little memory was lurking at the edge of her mind, and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out what it was. She stretched and sighed, perhaps if she quite thinking about it the thought would come to her. With a small yawn she curled up into a ball and went to sleep.  
Mayoko shifted nervously and cleared her throat giving an almost wary smile as the group turned it's attention to her, " Since we're on the topic of Meokan, perhaps we should discuss a bit about the reason we were sent here.. I really hate to push the issue, but we don't have a lot of time. "  
A quiet murmur of voices met the statement. Keridwen sat forward a bit, almost in anticipation, while Usagi and Aria frowned worriedly. Everyone seemed to have a different reaction to the subject, but they all knew that it couldn't be avoided forever.  
" How much do you know so far? Like, how much time do we have? " Makoto questioned.  
" I'm afraid that we don't really have any details, " admitted Mayoko, " Meokan was adamant about getting us out here, but for some reason he wouldn't tell us the whole story. All we know is that the Dark Kingdom poses a very dangerous threat to both of our galaxies, and even though we have defeated them successfully in the past, they have somehow become much stronger. "  
Several of the girls turned to look at Jedite. " What do you know about this? " Rei demanded.  
" Me? Nothing. I don't know what she's talking about. "  
Mamoru narrowed his eyes suspiciously, " I don't believe you. There's no way you were a general in their army and have no idea what's going on in the kingdom. "  
The man sighed and hung his head a bit, " I really don't, but I'll tell you everything that I do know. We are only one small regiment of the Dark Kingdom's army, and we're not a very high ranking one either. The true ruler holds some kind of grudge against Beryl, and we're really not included in the overall plans. If they were planning something, we'd be the last to know about it. "  
" So much for inside information, " Makoto muttered shaking her head.  
" So now what? " Nara asked.  
" Now we dispose of the traitor, " replied a deep voice from the shadows.  
There were gasps and shouts from every member of the group as a large scorpion creature burst out of the trees nearby. At the same time a tall man with auburn colored hair stepped into view, " I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, Jedite. Now you must pay. Scorpio, destroy them all! "  
Jedite's eyes grew wide as his former companion sent the monster barreling after them, " Nephlyte! No, wait! " He leapt to the side as the thing's enormous tail came crashing down where he had been sitting a mere second earlier. 


	6. Senshi UniteNephlye Stops In

" We have to transform! " Keridwen shouted as she jumped out of the scorpion' s path for a second time.  
" It's too risky! " argued Rei with an intentional glance at Nephlyte.  
" Let us worry about him! " Keridwen pulled out her silver star wand and raised it to the sky, " Lythos...Star.... Power! "  
The other Celestial Senshi took her cue and quickly changed as well. Nephlyte frowned. Who were they? He didn't know these Senshi warriors, and he suddenly felt that their presence would be very damaging to his mission. But something held him back from taking further action.  
" Lythos...Dark...Rain...Invasion! " Sailor Lythos leapt high into the air and a shower of needle like energy spikes rained down on the creature's back.  
The scorpion let out a high pitched squealing sound as a few of the needles hit the more vulnerable spots on it's body.  
As this was happening Sailor Phameris drew her hands together and bowed her head. Energy gathered around her and slowly condensed until it became a tangible cloud.   
" Cover your eyes! " Talis shouted to Jedite and the Sailor Senshi.  
Sailor Phameris raised her head suddenly, " Phameris...Light...Immersion! " she called sending the energy swirling towards their enemy. It enveloped the monster and exploded producing a blinding flash of light. Scorpio stumbled around blindly crashing into trees.  
" Lunar...Shadow... "  
" Caleria...Techno..."  
" Surrender! "  
" Explosion! "  
Eclipse and Caleria fired simultaneously then hopped out of the way as Talis leapt forward and threw a small gold cube into the air, " Talis...Spirit.... Binding! "  
As Talis caught the cube once again the scorpion fell still and the gold cube glowed dimly.  
" A new display piece for the mantle? " Caleria grinned.  
Sailor Talis shook her head slightly, " No, I won't keep this creature captive. It was being controlled by some outside force. It's actually a celestial spirit. "  
" Just who the hell are you? " shouted an angry voice from the edge of the trees.  
Rei glanced at Jedite, " Friend of yours? "  
" You could say that, " he shrugged slightly with a sort of half smile.  
Usagi wrinkled her nose, " Does that mean…? "  
" Ah, " Talis glanced at Eclipse who gave a brief nod of approval, " Yes. "  
Nephlyte's jaw dropped as he watched everyone calmly discussing him as though he wasn't even standing there; as if he wasn't even a threat. His anger rose as he continued to watch them. " Enough! " he yelled, gathering a ball of energy. He threw it towards Rei and Jedite who were standing closest to him.  
The Senshi of Mars reacted quickly and pushed Jedite out of the way. They fell in a heap on the ground, and Rei blushed deeply as Jedite looked into her eyes and smiled,   
" How can I ever thank you, Princess? "  
" Will you two cut it out! " Makoto scolded and dodged a second attack.  
" Maybe we should transform now, " Ami suggested jumping back.  
" What do we have to lose? " Minako agreed, " Venus...Star...Power! "  
" Mars...Star...Power! "  
" Mercury...Star...Power! "  
" Jupiter...Star...Power! "  
" Moon...Prism...Power! "  
They all stood to face off Nephlyte. " Gee, I think you're a bit outnumbered, " Caleria smiled tapping her chin lightly with a fingertip. " Would you like to surrender now? "  
Nephlyte could only stare in disbelief. He was so confused that he wasn't certain what to do. Suddenly, in a rage, he began throwing a shower of energy bolts at the group. Sailor Talis was caught off guard and one of the bolts struck her right shoulder. She stumbled back gasping for breath as the pain radiated through her body. 'Damn!' she cursed and bit her lip fighting against the shock that threatened to bring her to her knees. Despite her valiant efforts the roar of the battle soon faded. Then the scene around her blurred and the very ground seemed to lurch suddenly beneath her feet The last thing she saw before blacking out was Sailor Mars leaping in front of her.  
" Mars...Fire.... Ignite! " The Senshi fired her attack in just enough time to counteract a second bolt that had been targeted at Sailor Talis. She frowned deeply noting that the girl behind her had collapsed.  
" Now we have a problem, " Phameris stated as Sailor Moon came up beside her.  
" Huh? "  
Sailor Phameris arched a brow, " She's the only one who can change him back! "  
Lythos was close enough to hear them, " Then we'll have to kill him. "   
Sailor Moon's eyes grew wide at the prospect. The Senshi had finished off more than a dozen youma since they had become aware of their destiny, but unlike the hideous monsters, this man seemed too...human. And there was a way they could save him if they could hold him off long enough for Sailor Talis to revive.  
Unfortunately, Nephlyte was relentless in his attack, and his fury appeared to lend a limitless amount of energy to his assault.  
There was no chance of reasoning with the crazed general.  
" Don't hold anything back! " Sailor Lythos shouted to the others, " There's nothing else we can do! "  
" No! Wait! " Eclipse argued and grabbed Andronica's arm as she ran by, " You can do something about this. You can calm him. "  
" Eclipse, I-I can't! You don't know what you're asking! What if something goes wrong? "  
The older Senshi glared at her team mate, " Would you rather be responsible for his death? We don't have to kill that man and you know it! "  
Sailor Andronica took a deep breath and closed her eyes, " I'll try, " she murmured softly. The fear was obvious in her voice. She concentrated and her hands began to weave a pattern in the air before her.   
Sailor Lythos saw what was going on and proceeded to cover the Senshi while Andronica worked her spell.  
" Andronica...Mental...Command! " ' Sleep! ' she thought repeatedly, ' I command you into the realm of dreams! '  
Sailor Eclipse shook her head and sighed as Lythos collapsed into a deep sleep, " Lunar...Shadow...Surrender! " she shouted and fired about a foot away from the general. " Keep trying! " she snapped at Andronica.  
The energy flow began to fluctuate as Andronica grew more frustrated. 'Sleep!' 'Sleep!' she shouted mentally trying to focus on General Nephlyte.   
Unfortunately, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Moon both fell into dreamland as well before Eclipse grabbed the girl by the shoulders and shook her roughly, " Concentrate, damn it! We can't hold him off forever! " As if in response, a large energy bolt zipped by barely missing them.  
Phameris frowned and moved to stand behind her friend, " Eclipse, you're not helping her at all! You're going to have her too upset to do anything! " She laid a hand on Andronica's shoulder, " Focus on the enemy, Aria. Picture him in your head. You can do this. I'll help you. "  
Eclipse arched a brow but stepped out of the way. In the brief moment that she had let her guard down a stray blast clipped her calf. She fell and a sharp pain radiated from her wrist to her shoulder as she tried to catch herself. Her vision blurred as the throbbing sensation increased with every movement. Taking a deep breath she used her uninjured arm to push herself up once again 


	7. Tension RisesEclipse Throws a Fit

At that very moment Nephlyte fell over into a deep sleep. Immediately all action ceased. Mercury went to help Talis and Phameris went to wake the Senshi who had been affected by Andronica's attack. Eclipse glared at Andronica as she cradled her wrist against her body. She could feel the anger stirring like a tangible entity inside of her, and though she fought to push it away it wouldn't be denied, " You incompetent little brat! What force in the heavens ever came to the misbegotten conclusion that YOU should be a part of this team? When are you EVER going to learn what you're doing? "  
Andronica stared speechlessly at Sailor Eclipse fear evident in her wide blue eyes. Maybe Eclipse was right. Maybe she wasn't cut out to be a Senshi. Tears slipped down her flushed cheeks as she hung her head in shame.  
" Why are you yelling at her that way?. She did her best, and it did work after all. "  
Eclipse spun on her heel to face the now conscious Sailor Moon, " What business is it of yours? " she snapped, " You don't know anything about..." The Senshi suddenly fell silent as she looked into Sailor Moon's eyes.   
Sailor Moon was puzzled when she saw the odd expression in the girl's eyes. The rage had faded and left a look of horror mixed with deep sadness. She couldn't look away, and something hauntingly familiar flickered in the deepest recesses of her memory. It passed quickly when Eclipse stepped back and turned her stare to the others who were watching them intently. A pained grimace crossed her face and a moment later she was gone.  
Talis stood slowly with help from Mercury. Mars and Lythos stood over Nephlyte in case he should happen to wake.   
" Shouldn't we go find her? " Venus asked curiously.  
" She does this every now and again. She'll be back in a little while, " replied Talis, " But we do have a small problem. "  
" Now what? "  
Talis turned to Jupiter with an apologetic smile, " We can't change him without Eclipse. "  
  
Sailor Eclipse detransformed and settled down next to a tree. Her wrist still ached terribly, and she knew that it was probably sprained at the very least. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes trying to get her emotions back under control. The Earth guardians probably thought she was crazy by now, and she knew that Aria was no doubt deeply hurt by her harsh words. But Khamiya couldn't help it. When the rage took over she was like a bystander to her own actions. And since they landed on this planet...  
" Excuse me, Miss, are you all right? "  
Startled, Khamiya looked up to see a young man standing over her with a worried expression on his face. He had shoulder length black hair and eyes so vividly green that their color was obvious even in the gray light of pre-dawn, and his attire was very casual, a black sweatsuit and running shoes.  
" I'm...fine. "  
" Are you sure? " he knelt beside her in the grass and gently took her injured wrist. He studied it for a moment, " It's definitely sprained. It's going to be sore for a while. "  
" Thank you. Uh, " she blushed deeply and looked at the ground.   
He laughed softly, " My name is Kayochen, " he offered politely.  
Khamiya looked at him cautiously, " I'm Khamiya. "  
" That's a pretty name. Are you from around here? "  
" Not exactly. I mean, I'm from out of town. " She dreaded to hear what he would ask next. She didn't know enough about this planet to make something up, and she certainly couldn't tell him the truth!  
" Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, " he stood, " If I'm lucky, maybe we'll meet again, " he turned then glanced back over his shoulder, " Oh, and take care of that wrist. " With a quick wave he left. .  
'That was strange,' she thought watching him as he jogged away. 'I wonder why he left so quickly..' She scolded herself upon realizing that she had WANTED him to stay longer. It was ridiculous! She was no longer a child with idle time to pass away chasing some guy.   
When he was out of sight she stood once more and took her transformation crystal in hand, " Lunar...Crystal.... Power...Transform! " With that completed she returned to the others.  
  
" There you are, " Lythos scoffed, " It's about time. We've had one hell of a time keeping your buddy under control until you decided to come back. "  
Eclipse arched one delicate brow, " Can it, Keridwen. I'm not in the mood. "  
Talis shook her head glancing at the Earth Senshi. What were they going to think? So far the Celestial Senshi hadn't exactly made the best impression, and Talis feared that it would alter the others' opinion of them. " Come on you two, " she half pleaded, " can we please just finish this? It's nearly dawn. "  
" Whatever. "  
" Fine with me. "  
Jupiter, Mars and Lythos stepped away from the bound general, " See you on the other side, " Jupiter grinned playfully with a small wave.  
General Nephlyte's eyes grew wide at her comment. Certainly they weren't going to…he cringed watching the unknown Senshi gathering before him. Their intent was a mystery, and he turned to his former companion, Jedite, with a look of utter anguish.  
Jedite didn't say a word or alter the solemn expression on his face. He knew that Nephlyte was going to be fine, but he couldn't let on. It had been explained to him that surprise was detrimental to the cleansing process. If the enemy knew what was happening, the will, which was influenced by evil, was liable to fight the positive energy. That in turn would cause them to fail.  
They repeated the process that had been used on Jedite and five minutes later Jupiter was untying a much calmer, much friendlier General Nephlyte. " You scared me half to death with that last comment, Senshi, " he muttered good-naturedly to the attractive brunette.  
Jupiter laughed and helped him to his feet as the sun peeked over the horizon. The weary Senshi detransformed ready to collapse with exhaustion. " I could sleep right here on the ground, " Nara yawned from where she was sitting.  
" You're welcome to stay at the temple, " Rei offered with a tired smile, " I'm sure we can find plenty of room. " 


	8. The Chaos FactorBreakfast at the Temple

The next morning everyone was still sleeping when Aria slipped outside to take a walk. Despite how tired she was sleep still eluded her long after the others had fallen asleep. Eclipse's accusations played over and over through her mind, and though the others reassured her that she had done just fine, there were still doubts that she could not extinguish. Was her hesitation crippling the team? Why did she still have so much trouble controlling her powers? And the biggest question that plagued her; was she truly worthy of being a Senshi?  
Aria sighed strolling through the dew soaked grass. More than ever she longed to be home, sitting in the milk white sand next to the sapphire blue waters. In her mind she could almost hear the sweet melancholy song of the melaya birds. Their song was more than likely the most beautiful sound ever to be heard, and the birds themselves were a stunning sight. Silvery white feathers covered their bodies while long jewel-toned plumage crowned their heads and tails. She would have given anything to see one soaring gracefully overhead.   
But no. She was trapped here on this planet, light years from home, with a future that was uncertain at best. It troubled her to no end, but finally as the sun rose higher in the sky she returned to the temple and forced herself to lay down once more. Wiping away the last of her tears, Aria fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
" Oh, this is progressing just wonderfully, " sneered Queen Beryl sarcastically, " Just who the hell are these Senshi and where did they come from? " She tapped her long pointed nails on the arm of her throne, " Zoisite! Kunzite! " she screamed through the echoing chambers of her palace.  
The two generals appeared immediately, " Yes M'Queen? " Kunzite said with a bow, " What can we do to assist you? " General Kunzite knew that Jedite had failed to return from his last mission and that Nephlyte had been sent to find him. From the tone of Beryl's voice, he guessed that the latter had disappeared as well.  
" I want the two of you to go to Earth. Jedite and Nephlyte have not only failed, but they are now our enemies and should be killed upon sight. But I warn you, there are unknown Senshi on the planet, and I feel that they are an enormous threat to our plans. You must find a way to deal with them as well as the Sailor Senshi. NOW GO! "  
Kunzite and Zoisite glanced at one another before vanishing out of sight. When they reappeared on Earth Zoisite turned to General Kunzite, " Just what we needed, more Senshi brats to deal with. Where do you think they came from? "  
" I can't begin to imagine, but they're more than likely responsible for turning Jedite and Nephlyte against us. We have to be very careful. "  
Zoisite punched a few keys on a small device he was holding, " I've found the coordinates where Nephlyte last fought. There's an amazing amount of residual energy from the battle. I can't verify where it all originated from, but it must have been some fight. "  
" Before we do anything we need to track down the Senshi and formulate a plan to incapacitate them. "  
Zoisite nodded in agreement as they proceeded to that morning's battle site.  
  
" What smells so good? " demanded Nara as she wandered into the kitchen.  
Makoto turned with a smile and a spatula, " I thought that everyone might want something to eat, and I love to cook! "  
" And she's really good, too, " exclaimed Usagi between bites, " Try some! "laughed and took a plate from the counter, " I'm absolutely starving now that you mention it. "  
" Morning, " came a sleepy voice from the doorway.   
" Morning? " laughed Rei, " It's almost three o'clock! "  
Nephlyte stifled a yawn and turned to Jedite, " First time I've slept in for centuries. "  
Makoto giggled and held up two plates, " You guys want something to eat? "  
" Sounds great, " Nephlyte smiled and wove his way through the kitchen to where she was standing.  
Jedite took a plate from the counter and pulled a chair up next to Rei, " How are you feeling this morning? "  
She blushed slightly and looked down at her plate, " Oh, I'm just fine. How about you? "  
" Much better than I've felt in a long time. "  
Nara watched them inconspicuously as she ate. It must be wonderful to have someone special to share looks and secrets with and to hold you when things were rough. An image of Jaize flashed in her mind, and she sighed to herself. She had had a terrible crush on that guy for almost two years, but he was several years older than her. Besides, he didn't really pay much attention to her, and she had a feeling that he had his eye on someone else.   
She cleared her plate and took it over to the sink absently tossing it into the soapy water. " Excuse me, young lady, I don't think I caught your name. "  
" Huh? " Nara was a bit startled when she bumped into the little old man but she smiled politely, " My name is Nara, sir. "  
The man laughed cheerfully, " Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Nara, and welcome to the Cherry Hill Temple. My grand daughter never mentioned having a friend as lovely as..."  
" Grandpa! " shrieked Rei, totally embarrassed by her grandfather's behavior, " Leave her alone. "  
" I was only introducing myself to your friend since you don't have enough manners to do it. And you didn't even ask if all these people could stay. You should be more appreciative of how easy you have it here. Why in my day... "  
" Ah.... I'm sorry, Grandfather. Why don't you go sit in the garden and I'll bring you some tea. "  
" Well, I guess that would be nice, " he moved to leave the room just as Mayoko and Keridwen walked in. He eyed them curiously for a moment and was about to speak when Rei rushed over.  
" You go relax Grandpa, I'll bring that tea in just a moment. " she nudged him gently towards the door.  
The little man muttered something under his breath about ungrateful kids before finally leaving.  
" Should I go wake up the others? " Usagi asked as she finished off her second helping of food.  
" You better or they're not going to they anything to eat, " laughed Makoto.  
Usagi stuck her tongue out at her friend before rushing away to wake up the rest of the group.   
  
Ami had just stepped out of the room when Usagi arrived. " I would have been out sooner, but there was a book I was just dying to finish. "  
Usagi shook her head, " Ami, you're just unbelievable, " she laughed, " Makoto made pancakes, but you better hurry. "  
Ami hurried for the kitchen as Usagi walked into the bedroom. There were Minako and Aria, still sound asleep, and Luriel was sitting in the corner of the room with her eyes closed. Usagi guessed that she was doing some type of meditation and didn't really want to disturb her.   
" Good afternoon, Usagi. Did you rest well? "  
" Oh! Luriel, I hope I didn't mess you up or anything. "  
" Not at all, " she smiled and stood stretching her arms over her head, " Do I smell something cooking? "  
" Yes, that's what I came to tell you, " Usagi glanced around the room, " Where is Khamiya? "  
" She got up a while ago, " Minako muttered groggily.  
Luriel moved to the other side of the room and gently shook Aria, " Wake up sleepy head. Come get something to eat. "  
Aria groaned in protest but slowly pulled herself out from under the blanket, " Is it morning already? "  
" Actually, it's late afternoon, and our hosts have provided a meal for us. It would be rude to miss it. "  
" Yea, uh-huh. I'm coming. Be right with you. "  
The others laughed and headed en mass to the kitchen, which was reaching maximum capacity. Makoto was still cooking while Rei and Mayoko tried to keep up with the dishes. Ami was eating as Nara relayed to her every detail about the Calerian Science Institute. Mamoru was standing across the room and waved Usagi over the moment she walked into the kitchen, and Keridwen was involved in an in-depth conversation with Jedite and Nephlyte. It was a noisy but comfortable kind of chaos.  
Luriel smiled but in the back of her mind she was worried about Khamiya. It was tempting to go try to find her, but in the end it would accomplish nothing. Until Khamiya was ready no one would know what was going on inside her head. 


	9. Discovered Kunzite and Zoisite Formulate...

From her hiding place Khamiya viewed the visitors to the temple. She looked at them curiously as they spoke to the animated old man whom she guessed, from listening to the previous night's conversation, was Rei's grandfather. It was a relief that the Earthlings weren't all as uncouth as that first group of teenagers they had encountered. It made the mission just a bit more tolerable.   
But the Earth Senshi were another story altogether. Sure, they were nice enough, but Khamiya just couldn't get comfortable around them. During the previous night's battle she had felt a reoccurring sense of uneasiness. And to make things worse, she was having more and more trouble controlling her temper. She had probably made a lousy impression, especially after verbally attacking poor Aria. Her own team mate! Khamiya sighed.  
Several more minutes passed as she tried to forget those events. Suddenly she sensed that someone was nearby, and it was neither a visitor nor a Senshi. Khamiya didn't have abilities like Rei or Luriel, but she knew when she was being watched. She tried to turn around slowly, but a branch snapped unexpectedly. Khamiya cursed under her breath and spun around just in time to catch a flash of gray and white. Someone had definitely been watching her, but who was it and why were they here?  
  
He recognized her. The violet haired girl was definitely a Senshi. Even though he couldn't figure out which of the annoying little brats she was, he knew without a doubt that she was one. And where there was one Senshi, there were bound to be more, " Zoisite, " he said into the communicator with an evil smile, " meet me immediately. We have a mission to complete. "  
  
" You wait until I get my hands on you! "  
" It was only a joke! " Nara was laughing as she continued to run from her pursuer, " I didn't mean it! "  
Without warning Nara pulled up short, and Aria, having no time to stop or turn, ran right into her, " What are you doing? " she yelled from the ground where she had fallen unceremoniously on her rear end.  
" There are two guys over there, " Nara said with a huge smile, " Two gorgeous guys. "  
" What? " Aria jumped up and brushed the dirt from her shorts, " You don't think they saw that did you? "  
" I don't know, but they're heading this way. "  
" How does my hair look? " Aria asked worriedly.  
" You look fine for someone who was just crawling around on the ground, " Nara whispered and giggled.  
Aria responded with a dirty look that shifted easily to a pleasant smile as the guys approached, " Well, hey there, " she greeted them.  
" Hey there, yourself, " said one of the guys with a friendly smile, " Do you jog here often? "  
" Jog? " Nara repeated then laughed, " Oh yeah. No, actually, we're rather new to the area. This just happened to be the first place we came across. "  
" Welcome then, " smiled the second man pushing a strand of blonde hair from his eyes, " It's nice to know we have two such lovely ladies so close by. "  
Aria blushed, but Nara giggled, " Such flattery! So, do you guys live nearby then? "  
" Yeah, it's not too far. "  
" Would you like a tour of the city? " the first guy asked.  
Nara nudged Aria who had fallen oddly silent. When the girl didn't catch the hint, Nara answered for them both, " We'd love it! "  
" Well then, shall we? "  
" Let's go! " exclaimed Nara.  
" Nara, " Aria said laying a hand on her friend's arm, " Maybe we should get cleaned up first. "  
" Hmm, maybe you're right. "  
The guy with the blond hair overheard them and smiled with a wave of his hand, " You look fine. Don't worry about it. "  
" See, we look fine, " Nara smiled.  
" Can I talk to you for a minute? "  
" We'll just wait over there, " the guy said and moved away to let them talk.  
" What's your problem, Aria, they're gorgeous! "  
" Think about it. They haven't even asked our names yet, but they're offering to show us around? "  
" Well..."  
" This isn't our home. In the Dronian Galaxy everyone knows us. We're royalty for crying out loud! No one's going to mess with us there, but here it's a different story. They could be muggers or worse. "  
Nara thought this over for a moment, " You have a point, but we're also Senshi. Do you really think they're going to be able to pull anything on us? "  
Aria sighed, " Alright. I guess you're right. " They walked back over to the guys, " Before we go, could you at least tell us your names? "  
" Of course, " laughed the taller guy running a hand through his pale, nearly white, hair, " I'm Inoran and this is Sugizo, and you are? "  
" I'm Aria, and this is Nara. "  
" It's is a pleasure, " Inoran nodded.  
" So are we ready to go? There's this great little restaurant nearby and I'm starving, " said Sugizo.  
  
" What'd you think of the food? " Sugizo asked Nara with a smile later that evening.  
" It was the best I've ever tasted, but I am so full! " she groaned playfully, " I'm going to have to jog all day tomorrow just to make up for that one meal. "  
Aria giggled, " That makes two of us. I don't think I've ever eaten so much. "  
" I guess you wouldn't want to go for ice cream then. "  
" Inoran! How could you even think about ice cream after that meal? " Aria gasped.  
" I was just kidding, " he grinned.  
" Why don't we go catch the sunset? " Sugizo suggested, " It's nice to look at and one hundred percent calorie free. "  
" Sounds wonderful, " Nara sighed smiling up at him. This was turning out to be one of the most wonderful days of her life. Sugizo was sweet, intelligent, and gorgeous, plus he had a wonderful sense of humor. She couldn't have asked for anything more in a guy.  
Aria blushed as she caught Inoran watching her out of the corner of his eye. He was a great guy, but something just didn't feel right about this whole thing. And she knew that the others had to be wondering where they were by now. It wasn't right that they hadn't let anyone know that they were going out. Aria was about to say something when she noticed the look of utter bliss on Nara's face. Her friend was just a hopeless romantic, and Aria didn't want to mess things up. So, against her better judgement, she remained quiet.  
The guys lead them to a red sports car that was parked a couple blocks from the restaurant, and everyone hopped inside. " I know the perfect place to go, " stated Sugizo as he revved up the engine. 


	10. Aria and Nara: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon...not mine. End of story.  
  
Usagi giggled as she watched Aria chase Nara across the temple grounds and into the nearby trees. She had witnessed their disagreement first hand, " You should see her eyes light up every time he comes around, " Nara grinned leaning back in her chair, " you'd think he was the only man in the galaxy. Never mind the fact that he's like four years older than her. "  
  
Aria tossed her hair indignantly, " And you're one to talk. I've seen you follow him around at gatherings like a lost little puppy. "  
  
" Maybe I have, but nothing could beat that night at your fourteenth birthday party, " Nara turned to Usagi with a mischievous gleam in her bright red eyes, " You should have been there. It was likely the most stunning gala ever thrown on Andronica, because not only was it her Royal Highness's birthday, but her identity as a Senshi had just been discovered. Her parents were elated, of course. So there we were, dressed in the most exquisite gowns you've ever seen, and awaiting the arrival of the Phamerian Royal family. It was the first time that we ever met Luriel, but we knew her cousin Jaize would be there. "  
  
" He looked amazing that night, " Aria interjected dreamily, " he has long white hair, and the most stunning deep violet eyes. He was wearing a black tux with a black satin cape lined with white. You've never seen anything more perfect! "  
  
" Too perfect I'm afraid because when he greeted her, Aria fainted! Jaize managed to catch her, and he was trying to see if she was okay. She woke up and kissed him! Fortunately their parents were too busy to notice, but I saw it as clear as day. "  
  
" I did no such thing, Nara! " gasped Aria.  
  
" I saw you, and he turned redder than a kimari blossom. "  
  
" She's making that up! " Aria leaped out of her chair the same moment Nara did, and the chase was on. Usagi had felt a moment of concern, but the way they were both laughing indicated that there was no need to worry.  
  
" Usagi? "  
  
" Hmm? " she replied groggily sliding her sunglasses down to see who was talking to her. She had fallen asleep in the chair, and was surprised to find that it was already late evening. " Mayoko? Hey, I must have dozed off. Is something wrong? "  
  
" I'm not sure to tell you the truth. Have you seen Aria and Nara? "  
  
Usagi laughed a bit recalling the earlier episode, " Yes, Nara was telling me about Aria's crush on Jaize, and Aria chased her over the hill and through the trees. "  
  
" I wondered what that was all about. Keridwen saw them go, but, Usagi, that was almost three hours ago. They haven't come back. "  
  
" What? " exclaimed Usagi.  
  
" I'm afraid something has happened to them. Luriel is trancing, and Rei is at the Sacred Fire trying to find out if they're all right. Minako and Makoto have gone looking for them. "  
  
Both girls looked up when they saw Rei and Luriel racing towards them, " Did you find anything out? " Mayoko shouted.  
  
" I saw a vision of them in the flame, " said Rei as she approached, " and they're fine. "  
  
Luriel laughed softly, " They are better than fine. Tell them exactly what you saw, Rei. "  
  
" It seems they met a couple guys, and went out to eat. "  
  
" You're kidding me, " sighed Mayoko, " I should have known. Keridwen is going to be livid when she finds out. I'm warning you now, be prepared for an hour-long rant on responsibility and how our younger team mates do not possess it. "  
  
" I resent the stereotype of the irresponsible, boy crazed teenager, " said Luriel, " it's entirely unwarranted in some cases. "  
  
" In your case maybe, " snapped Keridwen as she joined the group, " but Aria and Nara must be two of the most irresponsible Senshi that have ever existed! They are to help protect our galaxy and it's people, and they can't even call home to let us know they're going out! What if something happened while they were gone? "  
  
" Keridwen, please, " Luriel said, " there is no need for this. Keep in mind that they were the last two to join the group. Nara's only been with us for six months. "  
  
" And your point is? "  
  
" You have to give her some time to get used to all of this. It's a whole new way of life, and she's still adjusting. You, on the other hand, have been a Senshi for nearly five years and still have much to learn about patience. "  
  
Keridwen scowled at the priestess but remained silent. Luriel had a point, but that still didn't excuse the other two for not letting everyone know that they were leaving. None of them were familiar with this planet, and any number of terrible things could have happened to them. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed heavily.  
  
" The important thing is that they're safe. "  
  
" Four years? " Usagi suddenly exclaimed, " How old are you anyway? "  
  
Mayoko and Luriel laughed at the startled expression on Keridwen's face at the other girl's sudden outburst, " I'm nineteen. "  
  
" Are you the oldest Senshi? "  
  
A devious smile spread across her lips, " Dear me, no, " she replied in an overly sweet voice, " that honor belongs to Mayoko. She'll be twenty next month. "  
  
" Twenty? " gasped Usagi, " Really? "  
  
" Hey, twenty is not old by any standard, and besides, Keridwen, you'll be twenty in another four months. You're not exactly an infant yourself, and I have the most experience here. That means I get to be the leader."  
  
" Will you two cut it out. You sound ridiculous. "  
  
Luriel spun around, " Khamiya! Where have you been all afternoon? "  
  
" Here and there. The important thing is that I saw someone sneaking around here earlier. " " Who? Where? " the other girls exclaimed.  
  
" I don't know who. All I had a chance to see was a gray and white blur before they vanished into thin air. " " I guess that rules out a visitor to the temple then, " said Rei.  
  
" I'll get Ami to check it out on her computer and call Mamoru. Rei, contact Minako and Makoto and tell them to get back here. Mayoko, do you have any way to contact Aria and Nara? "  
  
" Yeah, I'll do that right away. Keridwen, why don't you go with Rei as a precaution. Khamiya, would you find Jedite and Nephlyte? "  
  
Everyone went their way to gather the others as the twilight sky faded to midnight black. 


	11. One Perfect Moment in Time

" They're not responding, " Mayoko told Luriel, " I don't understand. "  
  
" They probably shut off their communicators so that we couldn't bother them during their little date, " Keridwen muttered overhearing the statement.  
  
" No, " Luriel said shaking her head slowly, " something isn't right, " her lavender eyes became dazed and unfocused as she entered a trance-like state. A few minutes passed and everyone waited. Luriel reached out with her mind, searching for her friends. It was no use, she couldn't determine their location. The only plausible explanations were that they were unconscious or dead, and either way it wasn't promising. Luriel blinked then looked at the others, " I can't find them. "  
  
" What are we going to do? " Mayoko asked.  
  
Even Keridwen looked concerned as she thought about the things she had said earlier. She never imagined that the two girls had actually run into trouble. How could anyone on this planet have overpowered them? It wasn't possible, unless they weren't from this planet. The sudden realization made her stomach turn.  
  
Usagi and the Earth Senshi joined the group. " You haven't found them, have you? " Usagi said quietly when she saw their expressions.  
  
" No, and I don't know how to find them, " admitted Mayoko.  
  
" Perhaps I could be of some assistance. "  
  
The Senshi all turned to see who had spoken. The man had a gray uniform and long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He stood suspended several feet above the ground with his arms crossed over his chest and a sadistic smile on his lips.  
  
" Who are you? " Keridwen demanded taking a step forward.  
  
" I wouldn't be so hasty, Senshi. "  
  
" Zoisite, stop this madness immediately, " shouted Nephlyte as he and Jedite came into view.  
  
" The traitors! How nice of you to save me the trouble of hunting you down. Well, since everyone is here, let's begin. As I'm sure you have guessed by now, we have your little friends. It was really quite easy to capture them, " he laughed, " dinner and a few sweet words. They never saw it coming. " " Moon.... Prism..."  
  
" Wait right there, princess, " Zoisite said, the smile never left his face, " General Kunzite is keeping the girls company. If anything happens to me, he will kill them. But if you think it's worth sacrificing their lives, well then, go right ahead. "  
  
The three Celestial Senshi turned to see how the leader of Earth's guardians would react. Usagi fell still, took a deep breath, and glared at the General, " I would never sacrifice a life. "  
  
" Just as I thought, " he smirked, " emotions make you weak, and that is why the Dark Kingdom shall prevail. I will take all of you to Queen Beryl. She will drain you of your energy to help our cause, then kill you. "  
  
Nephlyte and Jedite cringed. They had seen Beryl's wrath more than once, and they would be getting off easy if she only killed them.  
  
There was a brilliant flash of light and the entire group found themselves standing in a cave-like chamber. The walls and floor were black stone and covered with some sort of slick coating that glistened in the flickering torchlight. The air was hot and heavy making it difficult to breath, and the young girls gathered close together as they heard shouts echoing from somewhere not far away.  
  
" Sorry the place is such a mess, " Zoisite mused sarcastically.  
  
" You have to listen to us, Zoisite, " Jedite pleaded, " this is all wrong. Beryl had us brainwashed over a thousand years ago. We were Prince Endymion's royal guards, and it was supposed to be our job to help defend the Earth. Let the Senshi go, and they can help revive your memory. "  
  
" You lie! " snapped a voice from the shadows. A tall man with long silvery- white hair and cold eyes came forward, " It's these intolerable brats that have tricked you into believing that you're something you're not." He walked slowly through the room studying the girls. He was curious how these...children had managed to defeat Nephlyte and Jedite, but he supposed it was due to their number.  
  
Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and he turned to Zoisite, " Where is the other one? "  
  
" What other one? "  
  
" The girl with the violet hair. She's the one I saw this afternoon at the temple. Where is she? " he bellowed.  
  
" I didn't see her there, " Zoisite grabbed Keridwen by the throat, " Where is the girl Kunzite saw? "  
  
" I don't know what he's talking about. "  
  
" You lie! " Kunzite growled walking up and grabbing a handful of her short black and silver hair. He pulled her head back until she had no choice but to meet his gaze, " Where is she? "  
  
She remained silent and stared at him defiantly.  
  
" Kill her. "  
  
" No! " Luriel shouted.  
  
Kunzite released Keridwen and turned curiously to the other girl, " I will have Zoisite kill her immediately if you do not give me a straight answer. Now where is the other Senshi? "  
  
" Luriel, don't, " Keridwen choked out as Zoisite's grip tightened around her throat.  
  
" We honestly don't know where she is. She has a way of taking off on her own, and it's hard to say when she'll return. "  
  
Kunzite stepped forward and grabbed the front of her shirt, " You best not be lying to me, girl, or I will see that every one of your friends is tortured mercilessly before your eyes. "  
  
Luriel could not keep the tears from flowing down her cheeks, " It is the truth. We were raised together, and she has always been a loner. "  
  
" Are there any others? "  
  
" No. "  
  
" Zoisite, return to the temple and wait for her. I will take our guests to Queen Beryl. Even one Senshi running around freely is too much for my taste. "  
  
Zoisite dropped Keridwen to the floor and vanished. 


	12. Into the Hands of the Enemy

Author's Note: Mariah, I am eternally grateful to you for pointing that out. I didn't realize that I had it set up that way *sweatdrops* Immediately after reading your review I changed the setting. Everyone is free to review now.  
  
I also want to thank you for being my #1 reviewer::smiles:: I'm so glad that you like the story thus far, and I hope that continues to be the case. So, without further ado...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
" They're not responding, " Mayoko told Luriel, " I don't understand. "  
  
" They probably shut off their communicators so that we couldn't bother them during their little date, " Keridwen muttered overhearing the statement.  
  
" No, " Luriel said shaking her head slowly, " something isn't right, " her lavender eyes became dazed and unfocused as she entered a trance-like state. A few minutes passed and everyone waited. Luriel reached out with her mind, searching for her friends. It was no use, she couldn't determine their location. The only plausible explanations were that they were unconscious or dead, and either way it wasn't promising. Luriel blinked then looked at the others, " I can't find them. "  
  
" What are we going to do? " Mayoko asked.  
  
Even Keridwen looked concerned as she thought about the things she had said earlier. She never imagined that the two girls had actually run into trouble. How could anyone on this planet have overpowered them? It wasn't possible, unless they weren't from this planet. The sudden realization made her stomach turn.  
  
Usagi and the Earth Senshi joined the group. " You haven't found them, have you? " Usagi said quietly when she saw their expressions.  
  
" No, and I don't know how to find them, " admitted Mayoko.  
  
" Perhaps I could be of some assistance. "  
  
The Senshi all turned to see who had spoken. The man had a gray uniform and long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He stood suspended several feet above the ground with his arms crossed over his chest and a sadistic smile on his lips.  
  
" Who are you? " Keridwen demanded taking a step forward.  
  
" I wouldn't be so hasty, Senshi. "  
  
" Zoisite, stop this madness immediately, " shouted Nephlyte as he and Jedite came into view.  
  
" The traitors! How nice of you to save me the trouble of hunting you down. Well, since everyone is here, let's begin. As I'm sure you have guessed by now, we have your little friends. It was really quite easy to capture them, " he laughed, " dinner and a few sweet words. They never saw it coming. "  
  
" Moon.... Prism..."  
  
" Wait right there, princess, " Zoisite said, the smile never left his face, " General Kunzite is keeping the girls company. If anything happens to me, he will kill them. But if you think it's worth sacrificing their lives, well then, go right ahead. "  
  
The three Celestial Senshi turned to see how the leader of Earth's guardians would react. Usagi fell still, took a deep breath, and glared at the General, " I would never sacrifice a life. "  
  
" Just as I thought, " he smirked, " emotions make you weak, and that is why the Dark Kingdom shall prevail. I will take all of you to Queen Beryl. She will drain you of your energy to help our cause, then kill you. "  
  
Nephlyte and Jedite cringed. They had seen Beryl's wrath more than once, and they would be getting off easy if she only killed them.  
  
There was a brilliant flash of light and the entire group found themselves standing in a cave-like chamber. The walls and floor were black stone and covered with some sort of slick coating that glistened in the flickering torchlight. The air was hot and heavy making it difficult to breath, and the young girls gathered close together as they heard shouts echoing from somewhere not far away.  
  
" Sorry the place is such a mess, " Zoisite mused sarcastically.  
  
" You have to listen to us, Zoisite, " Jedite pleaded, " this is all wrong. Beryl had us brainwashed over a thousand years ago. We were Prince Endymion's royal guards, and it was supposed to be our job to help defend the Earth. Let the Senshi go, and they can help revive your memory. "  
  
" You lie! " snapped a voice from the shadows. A tall man with long silvery- white hair and cold eyes came forward, " It's these intolerable brats that have tricked you into believing that you're something you're not." He walked slowly through the room studying the girls. He was curious how these...children had managed to defeat Nephlyte and Jedite, but he supposed it was due to their number.  
  
Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and he turned to Zoisite, " Where is the other one? "  
  
" What other one? "  
  
" The girl with the violet hair. She's the one I saw this afternoon at the temple. Where is she? " he bellowed.  
  
" I didn't see her there, " Zoisite grabbed Keridwen by the throat, " Where is the girl Kunzite saw? "  
  
" I don't know what he's talking about. "  
  
" You lie! " Kunzite growled walking up and grabbing a handful of her short black and silver hair. He pulled her head back until she had no choice but to meet his gaze, " Where is she? "  
  
She remained silent and stared at him defiantly.  
  
" Kill her. "  
  
" No! " Luriel shouted.  
  
Kunzite released Keridwen and turned curiously to the other girl, " I will have Zoisite kill her immediately if you do not give me a straight answer. Now where is the other Senshi? "  
  
" Luriel, don't, " Keridwen choked out as Zoisite's grip tightened around her throat.  
  
" We honestly don't know where she is. She has a way of taking off on her own, and it's hard to say when she'll return. "  
  
Kunzite stepped forward and grabbed the front of her shirt, " You best not be lying to me, girl, or I will see that every one of your friends is tortured mercilessly before your eyes. "  
  
Luriel could not keep the tears from flowing down her cheeks, " It is the truth. We were raised together, and she has always been a loner. "  
  
" Are there any others? "  
  
" No. "  
  
" Zoisite, return to the temple and wait for her. I will take our guests to Queen Beryl. Even one Senshi running around freely is too much for my taste. "  
  
Zoisite dropped Keridwen to the floor and vanished. 


	13. The Mystery Unfolds

Disclaimer: Just a reminder...I don't own SailorMoon  
  
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" What happened? " Khamiya demanded when she saw Mamoru standing alone and bewildered in the middle of the temple grounds. " Where is everyone? " She glared at him as he stared vacantly at the ground before him. " Endymion! " she finally snapped when he still failed to answer.  
  
" I didn't get here in time to stop him, " he whispered hoarsely. " He took them all. "  
  
" Who? Who took them? "  
  
" I don't know. He was from the Dark Kingdom, and by the time I saw him it was too late. They all vanished. "  
  
" Damn it! " Khamiya cursed, taking her transformation crystal in hand, " Are you just going to stand there and mourn, or are you going to do something? "  
  
Her words seemed to snap him out of his shock, and he turned his brilliant blue eyes on her, " Why did you call me that? "  
  
" Call you what? "  
  
" Endymion. You called me Endymion before. "  
  
Khamiya frowned, " It doesn't matter. I got your attention, didn't I? "  
  
He studied her for another long moment, " We've met before, haven't we? " he asked hesitantly.  
  
" Don't be foolish, Mamoru. I live in a galaxy light years away, and I've never been to this planet. What you're saying is impossible. "  
  
" I don't believe that anything is impossible. Anyone who heard the story of my life would say that it is impossible, and yet I know it to be so. Who are you? " he was standing over her, his eyes boring into hers. She would never have admitted it, but his presence frightened her in that moment. And though she wanted nothing more than to turn away, she couldn't. A vision flashed in her mind, and she could tell from the expression on his face that he was experiencing something similar.  
  
" Am I interrupting? "  
  
Both of them jumped, immediately tearing their gazes from each other to the man who stood hovering several yards away. " You! " growled Mamoru, " Where are they? "  
  
Zoisite laughed, " You'll be seeing them soon enough, boy. Now I suggest the two of you come with me quietly. "  
  
" Lunar...Crystal...Power...Transformation! "  
  
Zoisite frowned as he watched the little brat transform. He attempted to throw an attack but was cut off when a razor sharp rose stuck in his hand. " What the..."  
  
Mamoru had done his own transformation and now stood as Tuxedo Kamen. " We want our friends back now! " Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sailor Eclipse vanish, and it almost distracted him when Zoisite threw his next attack.  
  
Tuxedo Kamen jumped out of the way and tossed another rose at the general who managed to side step it. They battled back and forth neither opponent really taking any damage. Tuxedo Kamen was beginning to think that the Celestial Senshi had abandoned him, but out of nowhere she appeared behind Zoisite. " Lunar...Shadow.... Surrender! "  
  
The blast hit him dead center in the back, knocking him unconscious on the ground. " Sleep tight, general, " she said nonchalantly. She kneeled beside him and studied him for a moment. He seemed vaguely familiar as the other two generals had. By now she knew that they had met at some time, though she could not recall the precise circumstances. Misty images filled her thoughts, bits and pieces of a past that she could never quite remember yet never quite forget.  
  
" I remember now! " Tuxedo Kamen shouted pointing a finger at the young woman kneeling over Zoisite's prone form, " I know who you are. " There was a combination of awe, fear and disbelief in his tone as he stared at her.  
  
She stood slowly, her eyes never leaving him as she moved closer, " Endymion, listen to me. You mustn't tell the others. You don't know nearly as much as you think you do. " She waited with baited breath for him to respond. All of her memories were slowly reviving, the awful truth replaying itself in her mind like the nightmares that had plagued her for so long.  
  
" How can you expect me to do that? " he exclaimed, " They have a right to know. "  
  
" Please, " she begged, " have faith in me. I am a Senshi as much as any of the others, and I shall not betray that responsibility. This pains me more than you will ever know, but there is much that you don't understand. I haven't time to explain. We must go into the Dark Kingdom to free the others, and our time is short. "  
  
" Fine, " he said slowly, " but I'll be watching you. "  
  
Eclipse sighed feeling her heart twist painfully in her chest. So it had begun. She lightly laid a hand on Tuxedo Kamen's sleeve and the other on the unconscious general; a second later all three of them were gone. 


	14. Into the Lion's Den

The moment they rematerialized Eclipse motioned for Tuxedo Kamen to be silent. Zoisite was still unconscious, but she didn't know how much longer it would last. She glanced around quickly, but there was no one in sight, " I want you to wait here, " Eclipse whispered.  
  
" I don't think so, " Tuxedo Kamen crossed his arms across his chest with an air of determination. There was no way he was going to let her go running off alone in this place.  
  
" We can't sneak around with the general in tow, and if we leave him here, he may wake up and give away our presence. The only solution is for you to wait here while I see if I can find the others. "  
  
" With all due respect, Sailor Eclipse, I would not be comfortable with that arrangement. " He was trying to be subtle, but it wasn't easy. He'd seen the pain in her eyes earlier, but it wasn't enough to inspire him to trust her. He shivered slightly as the previous vision replayed in his mind.  
  
" Fine, " she snapped harshly turning away from the masked man, " but you carry him. " She started off down the long corridor without glancing back. If that was how Mamoru-san wanted it, then so be it. He had doubled their chances of being caught, but she wasn't in the mood to stand and argue all day long.  
  
Eclipse slowed her pace as they came to the first turn. She paused, straining to hear any sign of life around the bend, but there was nothing.  
  
Tuxedo Kamen struggled to keep up as he carried the unconscious general. The girl wasn't even trying to make this easy on him.  
  
" What the hell? " Zoisite demanded groggily as he woke. He growled realizing that he was draped over one shoulder of that cursed Tuxedo Kamen. He vanished and reappeared a few feet away, " I don't know what you think you're doing, baka, but you're going to pay! "  
  
Tuxedo Kamen looked around, but Eclipse was no where to be seen. He jumped back as Zoisite attacked with a ferocious kick. Tuxedo lashed out with a punch, catching Zoisite square in the jaw. The blond man winced, surprised that he'd actually been hit by the masked fighter and threw a large ball of energy in response.  
  
The blast caught Tuxedo Kamen in the side, and he nearly fell. Three razor- tipped roses flew from his hand a second before a second strike hit his leg. Tuxedo Kamen stumbled then fell. His head ricocheted off of the stone floor.  
  
Zoisite frowned at the pain radiating through his arm where one of the roses had lodged, and he actually yelled as he yanked it out. 'Damn fool!' he thought watching the thick crimson liquid pouring from the wound. It was then that a thought struck him. The Senshi! Where was she? Surely Tuxedo Kamen had not ventured into the Dark Kingdom alone, but if she was here then why hadn't she helped her friend? Zoisite took his prisoner and vanished.  
  
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" Did you find her? "  
  
" She's here somewhere, " Zoisite replied chaining Tuxedo Kamen to the wall next to Jedite and Nephlyte. All of the Senshi were there as well, watching as the two generals talked. Their henshin wands had been confiscated, and they were thoroughly imprisoned, chained up inside a cage of energy. They looked on warily as Zoisite chained up Tuxedo Kamen. That left only Sailor Eclipse to help them, and no one was certain if she could do it alone.  
  
" Here? You mean as in here in the Dark Kingdom? "  
  
" I'm assuming she is. "  
  
" Assuming? " Kunzite frowned deeply. He didn't know why he was so uneasy about the violet haired girl, but there was something about her that he couldn't quite place. The fact that she was likely running free in the Kingdom made him twice as nervous. The last thing they needed right now was for her to set the others free.  
  
" Zoisite, I want you to gather all of the available youma and conduct a search of the entire palace including the grounds. Immediately. "  
  
General Zoisite didn't bother to argue even though he didn't know what the big deal was. He glanced at the captive teenagers and smirked. What could one child do against the highest-ranking generals in Beryl's army? But Kunzite looked like he was ready to throw a fit, so he simply agreed.  
  
Kunzite took a deep breath after Zoisite left. He couldn't believe the incompetence that he was forced to deal with. There was no reason that Zoisite should have returned without the girl. He glared at the small girl with the silver eyes, " Who is this remaining Senshi? "  
  
" You already know, " Luriel said quietly with a puzzled expression. She couldn't explain why, but somehow it just struck her that this General Kunzite already knew Eclipse.  
  
" What do you mean I know? If I knew then I wouldn't be asking! " He was beginning to lose his patience with all of this. He fired a small beam of energy that struck the girl in the stomach and smiled as she let out a squeal of pain.  
  
' But', nagged a voice in the back of his head, 'you did recognize the girl as a Senshi the moment you saw her. ' Kunzite furrowed his brow at the thought then turned back to the prisoners. " You, " he snapped pointing to a girl with two long blond ponytails, " tell me who you are. "  
  
" Tsukino Usagi, " she replied.  
  
" I'm not in the mood for games, brat. I know that you are a Senshi, and I demand to know which one! " Each word grew louder; the demand echoed through the chamber making several of the girls shudder involuntarily.  
  
" I won't tell you, " Usagi retorted defiantly. Silently she prayed that Sailor Eclipse could make use of the time she was trying to buy. It was an enormous risk, but it was also the only thing that she could think to do at the moment.  
  
" Tell me something, Tsukino-san. Would you like to watch your little friends die one by one? " Usagi's deep blue eyes grew wide and filled with tears. On one hand, she didn't want to give him any information that might help the Dark Kingdom, but on the other hand, she couldn't risk the lives of her friends.  
  
" Don't tell him anything, Usagi! " shouted Rei.  
  
Kunzite fired a blast that rendered her unconscious, " Now, I believe that there was something you wanted to tell me. "  
  
Tears poured down her cheeks as she looked at the prone form of her dear friend, " I am Sailor Moon. " " And you, " he jabbed a finger at a tall girl with a long brown braid.  
  
" I am Sailor Talis, " she responded not wanting anyone else to be harmed. Where was Eclipse? If Tuxedo Kamen had come after them, then surely Sailor Eclipse had come with him.  
  
" Now that is a name that I am unfamiliar with. Where are you from, Sailor Talis? "  
  
" I am not from the planet Earth. "  
  
" I did not ask where you weren't from; I asked where you were from. "  
  
" The planet Talis, " she said simply.  
  
" And just where in the hell is the planet Talis? " His lavender eyes were practically glowing with rage. Did these damn girls always have to be so annoying? It was tempting to kill them all with one large blast, but Queen Beryl would be disappointed if she did not have the honor of destroying them herself. Plus, they would provide an immense amount of energy that they could use to take over the planet.  
  
Mayoko hesitated, and he knocked her out as well, " Every time one of my questions is not answered in a complete and timely fashion, someone gets hurt. " He turned sharply to Aria, " If I recall, you're one of the newcomers as well. Where are you from? "  
  
The young girl swallowed hard unable to look at the man who was questioning her. She felt so utterly foolish having fallen into his trap so easily. It only made her wonder again if she was cut out for this position. Her sky blue eyes fell to rest on Mayoko, Luriel and Rei. She couldn't allow anyone else to be harmed, " I'm from the planet Andronica in the Dronian Galaxy. "  
  
" Dronian? " his expression was thoughtful for a moment then changed completely to one of shock. He reached through the bars of the cage to grab a handful of her pink and white locks, " Did you say the Dronian Galaxy? "  
  
" Yes, " she whimpered trying to bite back the pain. There were few things she hated more than having her hair pulled.  
  
" Which of you are not from this planet? " he growled at the frightened girl.  
  
" Leave her alone! " Keridwen yelled struggling against her bonds, " She's just a child! You think you're so tough just because you can scare a poor, helpless little girl. Why don't you try fighting someone who doesn't scare so easily. "  
  
Kunzite chuckled, though there was no humor evident in the sound, " You just gave yourself away. It's easy to guess that you're one of her little friends as well as the red head there. Now, who else? " He released Aria and looked over the little group, " Not you, Tsukino-san, we already know that, and I assume that your unconscious dark-haired friend is part of your little group. What about Talis-san? She must be from the Dronian Galaxy as well. How interesting. "  
  
" Don't forget me, " mused a feminine voice from somewhere behind him.  
  
He spun around to find the violet haired Senshi standing with her arms crossed casually, " It's you. "  
  
" I'm guessing that you were waiting for me. Should I feel privileged? " she smirked.  
  
General Kunzite stared long and hard at the young woman. There was something so familiar about her, but he couldn't figure out who she was. His gaze took in her petite form, the stubborn set of her jaw and the contrast of her alabaster complexion against the deep violet tresses that framed her face, then his eyes met hers and he gasped. 'It can't be!' he thought trying to mask the disbelief that realization brought.  
  
Kunzite took a step closer, oblivious to the stares of everyone in the room. 'Yes. The resemblance is unmistakable. Those eyes, those damnable eyes.'  
  
What was she doing here? Surely he must alert Queen Beryl, but then how could he do that to the girl? A tumultuous wave of emotions churned inside of him as he watched her. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and the look on her face indicated that she hadn't regained all of her memories yet. She was utterly confused by his reaction.  
  
Finally she spoke, " Well, if you're just going to stand there and stare, then I'm just going to grab my friends and go. "  
  
" I can't let you do that, " he said, but his tone was uncertain with an underlying hint of pain. She laughed slightly, " And I won't let you stop me. "  
  
Eclipse fired a blast of violet energy that struck the unprepared general directly in the center of the chest. He reeled back, almost losing his balance, but he managed to catch himself at the last moment.  
  
When he didn't retaliate, Eclipse dropped her fighting stance, " What is wrong with you? " she demanded stomping her foot childishly, " If you won't fight me, then let my friends go! "  
  
Before anyone could shout a warning Zoisite appeared behind the Senshi, pressed his hands against her back and fired. Eclipse didn't even utter a whimper before she fell forward. Kunzite stepped up and caught her before she hit the floor quickly checking to make sure that she was still alive.  
  
" I told you she was here, " Zoisite grinned wickedly. 


	15. A Hope and a Prayer

" Rei. Rei, are you all right? Answer me, please, " pleaded Usagi as she gently shook the other girl.  
  
" Yeah, I'm fine, but wh-where did they go? " Rei managed to sit up and look around with Usagi's help.  
  
" They managed to get Sailor Eclipse. I think they took her to Beryl, " explained a very agitated Makoto. She was just itching to get her hands on those two!  
  
" I just don't understand it. " Luriel said softly looking at the others, " That General Kunzite knows who Khamiya is, but I can't figure out how. We have never been anywhere outside of our galaxy. There is no plausible explanation for him recognizing her. "  
  
" I think that's the least of our worries right now. Mayoko is still unconscious, and so is Tuxedo Kamen. The enemy has captured our only hope, and we are totally helpless inside of this prison. "  
  
" Do we really need a run down of all the bad things we have going against us right now, Keridwen? "  
  
The dark haired young woman glared at Minako, " I'm only being realistic. As it stands at this moment, we don't have a hope in hell of making it out if this place alive. "  
  
" We have to have hope, " Makoto pointed out, " if not, we may as well lay down and die. "  
  
" It's probably better than what they have planned for us, " Keridwen shot back.  
  
" Will everyone please stop it! " exclaimed Usagi, " I know that things don't look good right now, but Makoto is right, we have to keep hope. There must be something we can do to get out of here. "  
  
Luriel took a deep breath trying to ignore the dull, burning pain still radiating from her wound, " I will say a prayer to the Gods to send help. Hino Rei, will you join me? "  
  
" Of course, " the Shinto priestess replied, drawing herself slowly to a kneeling position.  
  
Keridwen sighed, " Minako, Makoto, I'm sorry that I snapped at you. " Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she bowed her head, hoping that no one would notice. She hated to admit that she was wrong, but under the circumstances, she knew that an apology was more than called for. Keridwen had allowed her fear and frustration to overwhelm her sensibility.  
  
" That's all right, " smiled Minako, " I forgive you. "  
  
" Yeah, " Makoto chimed in, " we totally understand. "  
  
" Now, isn't this sweet? Friends to the end, ne? " Zoisite laughed coldly from the doorway. " But I suppose that it is better for you to make your amends now. In just a few short hours, you have an appointment with Queen Beryl, and then it will be too late. "  
  
" Leave us alone! " Usagi demanded fearful that he would harm yet another of her friends. Never had she met anyone so cold and calculating as General Zoisite and General Kunzite. Jedite and Nephlyte hadn't shown even a fraction of the brutality that those two had.  
  
" You don't frighten me, little girl. What are you going to do, annoy me to death? I can't believe you even managed to live as long as you have against our armies. I see nothing in you but a weak, whining child, and your friends are no better. "  
  
" How dare you! " Usagi leapt to her feet and shook a fist at the general, " You speak so bravely from the other side of this cage, but you wouldn't be so bold if I could transform! You are the weak one who hides behind your minions and destroys the lives of those who can not defend themselves! You have no honor.no true strength! "  
  
The other girls stared in amazement at their friend. No matter what happened from this moment, none would ever forget the image of Tsukino Usagi, so often called a klutz and a crybaby, standing up boldly against the Negaverse general.  
  
Zoisite regarded her silently for a long moment. Finally he spoke, " You may not be as worthless as I originally thought. It would be in your best interest to consider joining us. It is possible that you could prove to be an asset. "  
  
" Never! "  
  
" I'm sorry you feel that way. I guess we'll just have to kill you with the others. "  
  
" How can you do this? " Nara asked bitterly, speaking for the first time since they'd been brought to the Dark Kingdom, " Nephlyte and Jedite tried to tell you the truth. Why won't you listen? "  
  
" Because they lie, " he hissed, " I don't know what you brats did to them, but I'll be damned if I'll allow you to brainwash me. "  
  
" I know that you have some good left in your heart. I saw it in you. If you search deep down, you'll realize that this Queen Beryl is only using you! She's the one who has you brainwashed! "  
  
Emerald eyes narrowed dangerously, " I should kill you for saying such a thing. " He took a step forward, raising one hand slowly, his attention fully intent on his purpose. " I'm certain that my sovereign will understand my reasoning. "  
  
" Stop! "  
  
Zoisite spun around at the sound of General Kunzite's command, " This brat has dishonored the name of our Queen! Certainly she will not disapprove of a swift and harsh punishment of the Senshi. "  
  
" On the contrary, Queen Beryl is expecting visitors, and she needs all of the Senshi present and accounted for.especially the outsiders. "  
  
A deep frown creased Zoisite's brow, and he made no attempt to hide his disappointment, " You are fortunate, " he growled not bothering to look at Nara again.  
  
" Zoisite, go prepare for the arrival of the prince and his entourage. I will tend to the prisoners. "  
  
Without any further discussion, General Zoisite vanished. Kunzite turned slowly towards cage, " Had I arrived a mere second later, you would be dead, " he said nonchalantly to Nara.  
  
She stared at him without a word. Though she was trying hard to be brave, Nara found that she was shaking visibly and could not meet his gaze.  
  
" I do expect some form of reciprocation for saving your life. "  
  
" No one owes you anything! " shouted Rei.  
  
" I beg to differ, " he moved to stand directly beside their prison, " and what I expect is information. "  
  
" You can't possibly be stupid enough to think that we're going to tell you anything. "  
  
Kunzite shifted his gaze to Keridwen, " Perhaps you are experiencing some delusions regarding your situation, Senshi. Your lives are subject to my whims now, and I am willing to suffer the consequences of one or two of your deaths. "  
  
" What could you possibly want to know? " Ami asked, " You already have all of us here. "  
  
" What can you tell me about Sailor Eclipse? "  
  
There was silence as the girls looked at one another. It seemed like a strange question, and there was an unidentifiable tone underlying the question.  
  
" Her name is Khamiya Yamari, and she hails from the Phamerian moon of Shiari. Her parents died when she was very young, and my aunt adopted her. When she was thirteen, it was discovered that she was the Senshi of Balance. Khamiya was the second of our group to be found. I do not know the details of her discovery.  
  
I confess that I do not know much else about her. Despite the fact that we were raised closely, Khamiya has always remained distant. "  
  
The general was nodding thoughtfully as he listened to her. " And that is all you know of her past? "  
  
" I am afraid so. But you know something more, don't you, General Kunzite? "  
  
He disregarded her question with a wave of his hand, " I want to know what you did to Nephlyte and Jedite."  
  
" It was simple really. They were not truly evil, and we proceeded to rid them of the dark influence that had been clouding their minds. "  
  
He looked to the two men who were hanging, unconscious, on the wall. Could it be? Was it possible that these brats were telling the truth? Did Queen Beryl really have them brainwashed or was it just a trick meant to save their lives?  
  
" Deep down, I truly believe that you already know the answer. " 


	16. Awakening the Shadows

" Is everything properly prepared? " Queen Beryl's shrill voice echoed through her throne chamber.  
  
" Yes, my Queen, as you ordered. "  
  
" Very well. Where is General Kunzite? "  
  
" He is keeping an eye on the Senshi. "  
  
" I want him present when the prince arrives. " Queen Beryl wasn't about to let on how uneasy she felt about the small group that would soon be arriving at the palace. She had kept her minions quite oblivious to many of the truths concerning her status in the Dark Kingdom, and this visit could quite possibly ruin everything. It had been tempting to merely destroy the Celestial Senshi without word to the King, but when Zoisite brought an unconscious Sailor Eclipse before her throne, she knew that would not be possible. If it were ever discovered that Queen Beryl had killed that contemptible little brat, her life would undoubtedly be forfeit.  
  
" You wished my presence, M'Queen? "  
  
" General Kunzite. It's about time. The prince is due to arrive at any moment. It would not look good if my first general was not in attendance to his queen at such an important time. "  
  
" Of course you are correct. I was just checking on our guests. " He watched her carefully, noting the slightest tremble in her voice and an almost pained expression on her face; it was something between a pout and a grimace.  
  
Why was the Queen so uptight? Granted, they had very little contact with the other regiments of the Dark Kingdom army, but that was no reason for this type of reaction. Queen Beryl wasn't just nervous.she was scared.  
  
It was then that his gaze came to rest on the Senshi chained thoroughly to the dais of Beryl's throne. She was still unconscious, but he could not shake the image of her eyes from his mind. He had recognized her almost immediately, but there were still pieces of the puzzle that he could not place. Kunzite tried desperately to recall his connection to her so many years ago.  
  
A bright flash in the center of the room caught his attention before his thoughts could wander further, and there in its wake stood three figures. The first was a man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties with pale blue, shoulder length hair. He had sharp, azure eyes and an almost disturbingly pale complexion.  
  
To his right was a woman of similar age. Though she had deep blue waves of hair that fell to her waist, the locks that directly framed her face were a startling shade of white that accented the golden tone of her skin. She assessed the room with eyes as black as coal and twice as cold as ice.  
  
The last member of the group stood just behind the other two. His hair was jet black with occasional highlights of brilliant gold that matched the stunning color of his eyes. He possessed an undeniably regal bearing, as he looked disdainfully about the room. It was obvious that he was less than content to be in this place.  
  
All three wore uniforms similar to that of Kunzite and Zoisite's except that theirs were black, and the woman wore a skirt as opposed to pants. The visitors were wearing capes lined in blue, white and gold, respectively.  
  
" Show some respect to your sovereign, wench, " snapped the woman, glaring at Beryl. Like nails on a blackboard, her high-pitched shriek echoed through the room.  
  
Beryl narrowed her eyes slightly at the other woman but reluctantly stepped down from her throne and bowed stiffly. Just who did this young whelp think she was? Surely the girl could be no more than a mere soldier, unworthy of even attending this meeting. But under the circumstances, she was in no position to argue.  
  
The man with the blue hair stepped forward then, " We have been informed that you are in possession of the Celestial Senshi of the Dronian Galaxy. Would this be correct? "  
  
" Yes. We have the Senshi. "  
  
" In addition to picking them up, King Spinel has ordered us to stay for a length of three days. The progress in this quadrant is far below satisfactory, and we are to see to it that changes are made. "  
  
" Three days? " Beryl repeated with a gasp, " Here? "  
  
" It is no wonder that they do so poorly here.the one who leads them cannot even comprehend the simplest statement, " the woman smirked.  
  
" General Selenite, that will be quite enough of your remarks. I'm certain that Beryl is merely surprised by this turn of events. " General Azurite then returned his attention to Beryl, " Our newest general is somewhat outspoken, " he explained though his tone gave no indication of apology.  
  
Beryl could barely contain herself upon learning that the annoying bitch was a general. King Spinel must have lowered his standards for help these days. " If there is anything you need during your stay, feel free to ask General Zoisite or General Kunzite. They will be happy to assist you. " The words were forced out between clenched teeth as she mulled over the thought of spending the next three days with these self absorbed, holier-than-thou busy bodies.  
  
" It is truly her. "  
  
Everyone turned to the man who had remained silent until that awed whisper fell from his lips. His golden gaze fixed on the motionless figure half hidden behind Beryl's immense throne. " So then, Beryl, you do speak the truth, " he mused. His dark voice flowed smoothly, sinfully entrancing yet frightening all the same; it evoked an involuntary shudder from Beryl and her court.  
  
The crowned prince and heir to throne of the Dark Kingdom, Lord High General Pyrite, moved across the floor to where the Senshi lay. " I am pleased with this accomplishment, Beryl. Our mission will surely succeed. "  
  
" I am glad to be of service, my Prince. The others have been imprisoned, to be dealt with as you wish. "  
  
" What you do with them is of no concern to me, " he said flippantly. "Selenite, perhaps you can find some amusement in disposing of them? "  
  
General Kunzite's brow furrowed as he watched the scene unfold. An uneasy chill crept along his spine as he listened to the prince speak. Memories fought to emerge from the depths of his subconscious, and though he wanted to remember, the very thought of remembering scared him.  
  
Eclipse lifted her head slowly, willing away the nausea that rose with every subtle movement. Her head was throbbing, and her entire body ached in protest as she fought to gain her bearings. How.how could she have let Zoisite sneak up on her like that? She silently berated herself for failing so terribly. She should have just killed Kunzite while she had the chance, but instead she had hesitated. But why?  
  
" She's waking, my Prince. "  
  
The Senshi heard the voice, and though it was somewhat muted by the ringing in her ears, she recognized it immediately. General Azurite. With a surge of determination Eclipse raised up to her hands and knees and lifted her gaze to the group that stood over her.  
  
She screamed as the final blocks on her memory fell away, overwhelming her mind as the sudden realization of past and present merged. Years of nightmares and visions had not prepared her for the full weight of the awful truth. Oblivious to the lingering pain of Zoisite's attack, she leapt to her feet, fighting against the chains that held her.  
  
" I see that time has not dulled your memory, my dear, " Pyrite smiled darkly. " But not to worry, soon everything shall be as it was intended. " 


End file.
